China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan are developing Space Solar Power Systems (SBSP) aimed at harnessing solar energy from space. While solar energy on Earth is limited due to factors such as night, cloud cover, and weather conditions, the sun continuously shines in space. For this reason, several governments are exploring the potential to develop SBSP projects that could help various countries achieve more solar energy.
Equipment and Energy Production
SBSP systems operate by placing microwave-transmitting satellites in geostationary orbit at an altitude of 35,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface. These satellites transmit energy to massive solar reflectors on the ground, which can span up to 3 kilometers and weigh over 80,000 tons. If successful in deploying these systems, it is expected that the capability to produce several gigawatts of clean energy will be available.
Read more: Midterm election results have negative effects on data center development
Global SBSP Projects
China is developing the "ZhuRi Chase the Sun" project, the United Kingdom is working on the "Space Solar" project, and Japan is advancing the "OHISAMA" project to develop the technology needed to realize SBSP. In the United States, various projects at scientific institutions like Caltech and the Air Force Research Laboratory are exploring concentrated solar energy focused on transferring energy from space to Earth. Additionally, Space Solar in the UK is working to launch two demonstration missions in the coming years.
In 2024, Star Catcher in Florida managed to transmit light from an ether the length of a football field. This light was collected from the sun and transmitted through large lenses measuring 1.2 meters. Furthermore, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is planning to launch a constellation of one million satellites to produce SBSP and supply energy to AI data centers.
The "Overview Energy" project is also planning to develop an SBSP satellite constellation capable of transmitting 1 gigawatt of energy to Meta data centers by 2030. This project is progressing using laser-based energy transfer techniques in the near-infrared range.
Despite the benefits of this technology, some critics argue that developing this technology is costly and complex and may not be available quickly enough to support the green transition. Nevertheless, various countries are investing billions of dollars in this technology to provide global clean energy.
Read more: Australia has reached a new milestone in using batteries to meet peak energy demand · Ghasem Ali Bazayi emphasized land allocation in South Pars
