This is inevitable. As real estate becomes more expensive, especially in urban areas; as lift costs drop geometrically; as solar materials become cheaper and lighter then an obvious solution is a clear, unobstructed station above that can beam energy to the desired location, wherever it's needed.<p>Objections come up, like 'we don't know how to beam it efficiently'. This is 1960's thinking. Solutions have been available for years. Conversion from solar to electricity to microwave to ground and back to electricity can all be done with small fractional losses.<p>You aren't going to run out of real estate. A station of 100 square miles will be nearly invisible in the firmament.<p>I look forward to an era of cheap power and resources (asteroid mining anyone?)