Orbital debris could block all these benefits for centuries and prevent us from developing clean energy sources like space solar power satellites, exploring our Solar System and someday making humanity a multi-planetary civilization capable of surviving true climatic catastrophes.

FORBES: Beware Of Space Junk

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and CEO of SpaceX, held court on space travel, solar power and electric cars at South By Southwest Saturday.

FORBES: Elon Musk: SpaceX Testing New?Reusable Rockets

Those companies included Vivint in the home security space and SunPower, a solar panel maker and power plant developer.

FORBES: Startup OneRoof Energy Secures $100M Fund For Solar Homes

Saudi Arabia is the newest and hottest solar power market to attract the attention of emerging leaders in the solar-energy space.

FORBES: Solar Heats Up in Saudi Arabia

Many of our apartment buildings do not have the space and sunlight needed for current solar technologies to provide enough power to warrant investment.

FORBES: Sustainability Lessons for the Big Apple

It could be attached to folding solar panels of the sort used in space missions, and back on Earth it could provide portable power in deserts or at the poles.

ECONOMIST: Storing electricity