It’s raining Gigawatts from Space
By Avani Sharan
Team Cosmofluencer
What if we lived in a world where there is no fossil fuel and the only source of energy are the natural ones?
Now what if our planet Earth had no tides or any source of hydropower?
And what if Sun was the only source we ever had? Can humans’ energy needs be met by the Sun?
The truth is that a significant amount of our energy requirements can actually be sustained by the Sun. The only requirement- we need to be above Earth’s atmosphere to optimally harness this great powerhouse.. As sci-fi as the word sounds, this concept is called Space-Based Solar Power.
Think of giant solar panels, much larger than the ones you see on rooftops, floating high above our planet. These panels, positioned in space, would constantly bask in the glory of sunlight, unaffected by clouds or any particles in any layer of our atmosphere. The energy collected by these panels would then be converted into microwaves or lasers and beamed down to Earth.
Now that you have imagined this little sci-fi scenario, lets dig deep down into how all this happening and what the big space powers of our world are doing for this power of our outer world.
The Space-Based Solar Power Generation
SBSP, short for Space-based solar power is a concept that involves placing large arrays of solar panels or photovoltaic cells in space to collect sunlight and convert it into electricity. This electricity is then beamed back to Earth using microwaves or lasers. This transmission then undergoes the earth based power reception wherein the large specialized antenna aka Rectennas, convert the received microwaves back into electricity. This received electricity is then integrated with the power grid and is ready for distribution and usage.
This idea takes advantage of the continuous, unobstructed solar radiation available in space, which is unaffected by Earth’s atmosphere, weather, or day-night cycles. It could generate 2,000 gigawatts (even more is possible!) of power, which is 40 times more than solar panels on Earth and will help us reach the 2050 Energy Net Zero target.
A Pro-Con Analysis
Like any scientific advancement SBSP also has some advantages and challenges.
Since this is in space, it will be a continuous energy generation unaffected by any earthly cycles. But at the same time being in space means technological issues, huge costs for manufacturing and also the increasing amount of space debris.
On one hand solar panels in space will result into high efficiency of large scale power generation from sun’s energy and on the other hand it will result into problems due to microwave or laser beams on Earth.
So even though SBSP will be a form of clean energy, it wont be considered totally free from safety and environmental concerns.
The human’s plans for SBSP
Solar panels to generate electricity for on-board tasks on our satellite have been in use since ages. The advancement of using the photovoltaic cell technology into generating electricity for earth has been quite recent.
- NASA has been interested in space-based solar power for long with the advent of project ‘The Space Solar Power Initiative’ in the US . The US Naval Research Laboratory and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) are actively involved with the plans and conducting tests of solar power generation in a satellite.
- SOLARIS is proposed by ESA as a preparatory technology development and maturation programme to advance key aspects of the concept of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) plants.
- China is developing a space-based solar power (SBSP) project to generate electricity from the sun and transmit it to Earth. The project is called the “Manhattan Project of the energy sector“. They plan to launch a solar power plant in space by 2028 with sub projects spaced out over the next few years. China plans to launch a 200-tonne SBSP station capable of generating megawatts (MW) of electricity to Earth by 2035.
- Japan’s JAXA is also investigating SBSP, with a focus on developing a small-scale demonstration system.
- Californian start-up, Astra, has partnered with the US Air Force to explore the feasibility of SBSP.
Conclusion
Space-Based Solar Power will definitely be a source of clean, abundant, sustainable and reliable power for the planet’s energy future. While challenges do remain, continued research and development, coupled with international collaboration can pave the way for Space Based Solar Power technology to become a reality.
References
1. New Study Updates NASA on Space-Based Solar Power | NASA
2. Space Based Solar Power | Space Energy Initiative
3. Is Space-Based Solar Power Our Future? (February 2025) | Green Match
4. FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions on Space-Based Solar Power | ESA
5. How NASA Uses and Improves Solar Power | NASA