Space-based Solar Power Is Expected To Be Closer To Reality!

Space.com reports: British startup plans to supply solar power from space to Icelanders by 2030, in what could be the world's first demonstration of the novel renewable energy source.

This space solar project, announced Oct. 21, is a collaboration between the U.K. company Space Solar, Reykjavik Energy and Iceland’s sustainability initiative Transition Labs. They will send power from its debut facility to Reykjavik Energy — adding solar to the island nation’s renewable energy mix.

Enough to power about 3,000 homes

The country plans to launch a demonstration satellite by 2030 to beam 30 megawatts of clean energy to Earth. The energy-transmitting satellite weighs 70.5 tons (64 metric tons) and is about 1,312 feet (400 meters) wide (including the solar array) and orbits the Earth in medium Earth orbit, a region of near space at altitudes between 1,241 miles and 22,000 miles (2,000 to 36,000 kilometers).

Space solar panels will capture sunlight and transmit it as radio waves to a ground station, where it will be converted into electricity for the grid. The system could generate enough energy to power 1,500 to 3,000 homes.

Consistent Electricity

Space Solar says its new power generation system, positioned in orbit above Earth, will use high-frequency radio waves to transmit solar energy to ground stations, which will convert the solar energy into electricity and feed it directly into the power grid.

By positioning its plant in orbit would provide a continuous supply of clean solar energy at a cost comparable to solar systems on Earth, without having to worry about collecting energy at night or under cloud cover.

Unlike photovoltaic and wind turbines on the Earth's surface, orbital power stations don't suffer from intermittency issues - a major drawback of traditional renewable energy generation. They generate electricity continuously, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.

'Gigawatts' of Energy

By 2036, the partners hope to have six of these space solar power stations built to deliver gigawatts of clean electricity to users on Earth around the clock, regardless of the weather. Space Solar's orbital power plant could provide more than 15 gigawatts of energy by the mid-2040s.

The technology sounds incredible, but it exists to be realized and has a long way to go. Current tests have only achieved milliwatt-scale power transfer, but the basis for capturing constant solar energy and transmitting it to Earth already exists. The technology is very easy to implement, and countries such as Japan and China are in the early stages of exploring the future use of space energy to power their cities.