Reports suggest we could have solar power stations in space by 2050

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 We’re always interested to hear about new innovations with regards to solar, so when we heard about the idea of generating solar power in space, it’s fair to say we were intrigued!


Millions of British homes could be powered by a giant solar power station 24,000 miles up in space within three decades, under proposals being considered by the government. Under the plan, a system of five huge satellites – each more than a mile wide, covered in solar panels and weighing several thousand tonnes – would deliver laser beams of energy down to Earth.


These would provide up to 15% of the country’s electricity supply by 2050, enough to power 4 million households – with the first space energy expected to be delivered as soon as 2040. Each satellite would be made from tens of thousands of small modules, propelled into space through 200 separate rocket launches, and then steadily assembled by robots once they are in orbit!

 

The satellites would use thousands of mirrors to concentrate the sunlight onto the solar panels, which would be converted into high frequency radio waves. These would be beamed to a receiving antenna on the Earth, converted into electricity and delivered to our homes.

 

The government and the UK Space Agency are taking the technology extremely seriously, believing it could play a crucial role in helping the country to fulfil its promise of becoming carbon neutral – or net zero – by 2050, while keeping the lights on. They have appointed the engineering consultancy Frazer-Nash to look into the technical and economic feasibility and it will report back next year.

 

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said: “Solar space stations may sound like science fiction, but they could be a game-changing new source of energy for the UK and the rest of the world. This pioneering study will help shine a light on the possibilities for a space-based solar power system which, if successful, could play an important role in reducing our emissions and meeting the UK’s ambitious climate change targets.”

 

In addition to the environmental benefits that can come from this, if the UK can establish itself as a global leader in this field, jobs and investment could follow. We’ll definitely be hoping to see the UK lead the way on this particular ‘space race’ with all that it could mean for British homes and businesses.


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