[JoeAltmaier]

Space structures can be truly enormous, hold their shape with no gravity issues, be aimed with trivial amounts of energy, have no weather issues (no cloudy/rainy days). Any number of reasons this is a win.

Mr. Musk is just ranting. He's used conversion efficiency as his whole argument. The only argument worth having is total cost of ownership, which relates to payback time.

[oftenwrong]

I imagine micrometeoroid impacts would be a significant "weather" issue.

[JoeAltmaier]

Yes; of an entirely different nature than hurricanes, torrential rains etc. Unfortunately the best locations on earth for truly enormous high-efficiency solar are equatorial.