British engineers from Space Solar are developing solar panels that will be able to transmit sustainable energy from space to Earth. The technology is believed to be 13 times more efficient than traditional ground panels. AIN shares more details about the projects and its possible environmental benefits.
What is known about Space Solar
Space Solar, which was founded in the UK in 2022, is pioneering the development of space-based solar power (SBSP) to produce continuous, clean energy from space. Through the deployment of satellites with solar panels, the company will harvest sunlight in space and beam it back to Earth using wireless transmission technology.
This approach offers a realistic solution for reliable, low-carbon electricity generation, aiding international energy security and the transition towards net-zero emissions.
“We developed and funded this innovation programme alongside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, as we want to gain the best possible understanding of the economic viability, mission architecture and associated technologies for space-based solar power. This successful study has raised the maturity level of the underpinning technologies necessary to deploy on a commercial scale, including in-orbit manufacturing and servicing, as well as the assembly of large structures in space,” head of Research & Development at UK Space Agency, Dr Mamatha Maheshwarappa commented,
More on the CASSiDi project and how this technology will work
The CASSiDi project, funded by the UK Space Agency and DESNZ, supported an 18-month study by Space Solar into wireless power beaming, in-space assembly, and ground receiver tech.
The outcome is a 1,700-page sub-system design for Cassiopeia, a modular solar power satellite. Also known as the Constant Aperture Solid State Integrated Orbital Phased Array, Cassiopeia features pre-fabricated, electronically steerable solar reflectors with no moving parts, enhancing reliability and cost-efficiency. Its low-intensity power beam is safe, weather-resilient, and ideal for integration with renewable energy systems to boost grid resilience and deliver power where needed.
According to the company, the satellite will transmit this power via radio waves to ground receivers, offering a consistent, weather-proof energy source. Space Solar aims to launch a commercial-scale system delivering megawatt-level power within five years, scaling up to gigawatts by the mid-2030s.
“In just 18 months and £1.7 million of engineering work, CASSiDi has accelerated space-based solar power to a new level of maturity, confirming its potential to become a commercially viable clean energy source within the next few years. We now have the most advanced and capable SBSP [Space-based solar power — ed.] design in the world—and a clear, achievable roadmap to commercial reality. This is a game-changer for clean energy,” Martin Soltau, Co-CEO at Space Solar, mentioned.
Possible environmental benefits of solar energy transfer
Unlike ground-based solar farms that suffer from intermittency due to nightfall, cloud cover, and seasonal variation, solar panels from orbit receive constant sunlight, allowing them to generate energy 24/7.
- This continuous exposure increases the efficiency of solar panels significantly — with estimates suggesting up to 13 times more energy yield than terrestrial panels, according to Sustainability Times.
- In addition to the CASSiDi project, the European Space Agency (ESA) has launched its own Solaris program to assess the feasibility of SBSP across Europe, citing its potential to provide large-scale, baseload renewable energy without requiring vast land use.
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) has also emphasized that advanced solar technologies, including orbital solutions, are essential to achieving long-term decarbonization goals and improving global energy security.
However, high tech orbital solutions aren’t the only ones to have an environmental impact. Some energy tech companies like Estonian Soldera are playing a key role in advancing renewable energy adoption. Soldera provides an automated platform for managing and trading Guarantees of Origin (GOs), which certify the renewable origin of electricity, further facilitating the efforts of moving towards renewable electricity sources.
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