As if the Force wasn’t enough, the Dark Side has now incorporated solar power into their Imperial Army’s intergalactic network of planetary garrisons.
The massive amounts of fossil fuels used by Empire forces has left the Imperial Starfleet and ground forces with little choice but to turn to sources of renewable energy, having exhausted oil and coal reserves on the moon of Endor and the precipitous to destroy the gas-laden planet of Alderaan using the Death Star during a rebel uprising.
The Death Star – which drained Imperial cash reserves and, according to an official Imperial statement, was “decommissioned due to faulty wiring resulting in a small explosion,” – did not employ solar energy, instead employing a hypermatter reactor for power.
Second-in-Command of Imperial Forces and spokesman for Energy, Darth Vader, said renewable energy would become a vital part of the Empire’s continued dominance of the Universe.
“Lessons learned during our successful defeat of rebel forces and the spread of the Empire throughout the universe has shown that we need to switch to a decentralised energy network which utilises the renewable energy sources at our disposal: the billions of suns, solar winds and geothermal energy. Anyone standing in the way of this solar revolution will feel the power of the Dark Side!”
One of the latest solar innovations from Imperial researchers is the “Orbital Solar Energy Transfer Satellite” (or the Orbital Mirror, Mirror Station or Solar Mirror). Designed for use on the south and north poles of the planet-wide metropolis of Coruscant, political capital of the Empire, the solar satellite is a large mirror used to focus sunlight and heat from the planet’s tiny sun, making more of the land area fit for human habitation.
Another solar innovation from the Empire is the TIE fighter. The wings of a TIE fighter are actually solar panels which provide power to ion engines. These solar powered engines give TIE fighters incredible speed and manoeuvrability. All TIE series star fighters have now been equipped two or more ion engine outlets, linked to a solar ionization reactor and solar array wings. The revolutionary ion engines use the energy of starlight and play at least a partial role in powering the engines.
Details are sketchy but it is thought the scattered Rebel army was previously unable to afford solar assets of their own. In a reported statement from Rebel spokesmen, Yoda, the diminutive green Jedi said,
“Down has come the cost of solar panels. Afford them now we can. Free energy soon will the Rebel army have.”
