British firm plans solar farm in space 

Could the dreams of science fiction become the energy solutions of tomorrow? A British company has been at the forefront of a new development.

Space Solar, a company based in Oxfordshire, recently announced a major breakthrough at Queen’s University Belfast.

The company has successfully tested a prototype on Earth that could power over a million households by the 2030s. The idea of a solar farm, possibly one mile in width and stationed 22,000 miles above Earth, has crossed a significant hurdle.

Harnessing sunlight from space

The project’s design, dubbed CASSIOPeiA, aims to collect sunlight continuously by rotating towards the sun, regardless of its position.

This would ensure a steady stream of energy, transmitted to a stationary receiver on Earth. ‘This is a world first. You can get constant energy all the time,’ Martin Soltau, founder of Space Solar, shared with Sky News.

Space solar panels are far more efficient than their terrestrial counterparts, capturing 13 times more energy. Despite some loss during transmission to Earth, the output vastly surpasses that of ground-based solar energy.

This round-the-clock power generation could provide a stable ‘baseload’ for renewable energy sources, currently supplemented by nuclear and gas turbines.

Construction plans

The project’s scale is vast, requiring around 68 rocket launches to transport parts to orbit. These would then need to be assembled by robots.

Soltau revealed discussions with SpaceX about employing Starship, a rocket that could significantly cut launch costs. ‘It’s a complete game changer,’ he stated.

Safety and environmental concerns

Public safety, especially concerning the microwave beams used to transmit energy back to Earth, is paramount. Soltau assured that the beams would be less intense than the midday sun at the equator and targeted at remote receiving stations.

Moreover, the environmental impact of numerous rocket launches is under scrutiny. Independent experts call for more evidence to ensure the project’s carbon footprint remains low.

With international interest and collaborative efforts like the UK’s Space Energy Initiative, space-based solar power is closer than ever to becoming a real solution to the world’s energy needs.