The technology of harnessing solar energy through photovoltaic panels placed on satellites and transmitting it to Earth has enormous potential for enhancing the energy security of the UK, as reported by The Guardian on June 12.
The United States is the first country to successfully transmit solar power to Earth. Photo: Science Photo Library.
Although the idea of constructing commercial power plants in space may seem distant, the space industry has long been at the forefront of solar power development. In fact, the demand for powering satellites has been the driving force behind improving the efficiency of photovoltaic panels used for generating electricity for households and businesses, according to Dr. Mamatha Maheshwarappa, an expert in payload systems at the UK Space Agency.
Among the institutions and organizations receiving funding from the UK government’s space-based solar energy initiative are the University of Cambridge, which is currently developing ultra-lightweight photovoltaic panels capable of withstanding high radiation in space, and Queen Mary University of London, with its wireless system enabling the transmission of harvested solar energy to Earth.
In early June, a group of scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the United States successfully transmitted solar energy from space to Earth for the first time, using a prototype spacecraft called Maple launched into orbit in January. The spacecraft utilized a series of ultra-lightweight transmitters to convert electricity into waves before transmitting it to a specific location on the ground, in this case, a receiving device on the roof of a building within Caltech’s campus in Pasadena. There, the wave beam is transformed back into electricity.
If the technology can operate on a large scale, space-based solar farms would have significant advantages. As there is no atmosphere in space, solar light does not get diluted, meaning each solar panel can generate more energy than on Earth. Solar energy is also predictable and can be continuously produced as it is not interrupted by day-night cycles, cloud cover, and variations in light throughout the seasons.
An independent study commissioned by the UK government in 2021 found that space-based solar energy could produce up to 10 GW of electricity per year, equivalent to a quarter of the UK’s electricity demand, by 2050. The Department for Energy Security estimated that this could create a multibillion-dollar industry and 143,000 jobs.
“We are taking a giant leap to put the UK at the forefront of this emerging industry. By winning the solar space race, we can change the way we power the country and create a cheaper, cleaner, and safer source of energy for future generations,” shared Grant Shapps, the UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security.