UK Allocates £4.3 Mn Funding to Advance Space-Based Solar Power

The UK government has allocated £4.3 million in funding to universities and tech companies to drive the development of space-based solar power. While the concept of commercial power stations in space may seem futuristic, the space industry has long been at the forefront of solar power advancements.

As part of the government’s space-based solar power innovation competition, notable recipients of the funding include Cambridge University, focusing on the development of ultra-lightweight solar panels capable of withstanding high radiation levels in space. Queen Mary University of London is also a recipient, working on a wireless system to safely beam space-harvested solar power to Earth.

The recent breakthrough by scientists at the California Institute of Technology, who successfully transmitted solar power from space to Earth, using the prototype spacecraft Maple, further adds to the momentum of space-based solar power research.

The advantages of space-based solar farms are significant if the technology can be scaled up. With no atmospheric interference, each panel can generate more energy compared to Earth-bound panels. Additionally, the solar energy would be consistent and uninterrupted due to the absence of day-night cycles, cloud cover, and seasonal variations in sunlight.

A 2021 independent study commissioned by the UK government found that space-based solar power could potentially generate up to 10GW of electricity annually by 2050, accounting for a quarter of the country’s power needs. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero estimates that this technology could create a multibillion-pound industry and up to 143,000 jobs across the nation.

Apart from the aforementioned projects, other initiatives awarded funding include Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd in Didcot, conducting an experiment to test space satellite antenna technology, MicroLink Devices UK Ltd in Port Talbot, developing the next generation of lightweight and flexible solar panels, and the University of Bristol, simulating solar space wireless power transfer capabilities to enhance performance and reliability.

Imperial College London and EDF Energy will also receive funding for studies exploring the integration of electricity from space-based power stations into the existing electricity grid, alongside other low-carbon energy sources.

Notably, the UK government aims to make space solar a new clean energy industry for the UK, investing in its early-stage development with the announcement of £4.3 million funding, including £3.3 million from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and £1 million from the UK Space Agency.

While space-based solar power is a lucrative one, it has its share of drawbacks. Numerous challenges could be posed to solar panels in space- asteroids, debris, extreme levels of solar radiation, are a few among them.