Can solar energy be used in space?

Depicted: A pioneering project to generate power from solar energy in space | Source: ESA© The Great Promise Renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar farms—large arrays of solar panels spanning wide areas—provide low-cost electricity without emitting greenhouse gases.

Would a solar power plant in space work?

Unlike solar panels on Earth, a solar power plant in space would provide a constant power supply 24/7. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. A first-of-its-kind lab demonstration shows how solar power transmission from space could work.

Is space-based solar power coming back?

Space-based solar power (SBSP) was eventually dismissed as too expensive, and consigned to the attic of Space Age fantasies, along with lunar bases and ray guns. Now, it's back. Space agencies are returning to the idea of constructing enormous orbital arrays of solar panels, then beaming the power to Earth via microwaves.

Can a space-based solar panel collect more energy?

Here on Earth, sunlight is diffused by the atmosphere, but in space it comes directly from the sun without interference. So a space-based solar panel can collect a lot more energy than a similar sized one on Earth. Similar projects are under development elsewhere.

What is space-based solar power?

It's an idea that sprang from mid-century science fiction and was being seriously considered in the 1970s, in the golden years of space flight. Space-based solar power (SBSP) was eventually dismissed as too expensive, and consigned to the attic of Space Age fantasies, along with lunar bases and ray guns. Now, it's back.

How does solar power transmission from space work?

Here’s how it works. A first-of-its-kind lab demonstration shows how solar power transmission from space could work. The demonstration, carried out by U.K.-based startup Space Solar, tested a special beaming device that can wirelessly transmit power 360 degrees around.