The United Kingdom is the latest country to announce its plan to build a space-based solar power plant after the United States and China. The country is serious about beaming solar energy from space that could be in orbit by 2035.
More than British technology organizations have joined the UK Space Energy Initiative launched in 2021 to explore options for developing space-based solar power plants. The initiative aims to revolutionize energy by harvesting solar power from space to help the UK meet its target of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as outlined at the United Nations' COP 26 summit last year.
In this handout provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), International Space Station solar array wings intersect the thin line of Earth's atmosphere photographed by an STS-134 crew member while space shuttle Endeavour remained docked with the station May 20, 2011 in space.
Space-Based Solar Power to Beam From Space As Early As 2035
Martin Soltau, the chairman of the initiative, said during the Toward a Space Enabled Net-Zero Earth conference held in London last month that the technology to develop a space-based solar power plant already exists. The only challenge left is the scope and size of the project.
The plan to build the solar power plant in space is based on a study by consultancy Frazer-Nash, Space.com reported. Soltau said that the study concluded finding the project technically viable, adding that it does not need novel materials, component technology, or any breakthroughs in the laws of physics.
They have established a 12-year development plan to see a space-based solar power plant orbit the Sun like the planets as early as 2035. The solar power plant is planned to be assembled by robots and will beam gigawatts of power from space to Earth.
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UK Plans to Use Prototype Power Station CASSIOPeiA
According to Space.com, the initiative explores a modular concept called Constant Aperture, Solid-State, Integrated, Orbital Phased Array (CASSIOPeiA) developed by the British engineering firm International Electric Company.
The modular nature of this prototype orbiting power station allows it to be expanded even after the demonstration. It will be massive and require at least 300 rocket launches off SpaceX Starship to deliver it to orbit 22,000 miles above Earth with a constant view of the Sun, Soltau added.
He pointed out that it is made with lightweight mirrors and concentrating optics onto photovoltaic cells like those on Earth but larger. Those solar panels will produce direct current electricity converted into microwaves via solid radio frequency power amplifiers and beamed down here on Earth.
One of the benefits of building space-based solar power plants is that they will not be affected by intermittency problems, unlike most renewable energy generation on Earth, Mashable reported.
Soltau said that this technology will address the need for alternative technologies in energy storage since there is no technology yet that does that at a lower price and correct scale. The initiative has gained support from the UK government and energy professionals with an estimated budget of $3.7 million for research and supporting technologies.
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