A solar power station in space? Here's how it would work — and the benefits it could bring

The article was originally published at The Conversation.

The Head of the School of Mechanical and Design Engineering at the University of Pompey is Jovana Radulovic.

A 16 billion dollar proposal to build a solar power station in space is being considered by the U.K. government.

That is correct, you read that. One of the technologies in the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio is space-based solar power. It has been identified as a possible solution to enable the U.K. to achieve net zero by the year 2050.

How would a solar power station work in space? What are the drawbacks to this technology?

Space-based solar power involves transferring solar energy from space to Earth. Recent technological advances have made this prospect more realistic.

The space-based solar power system involves an enormous satellite with solar panels. The panels generate electricity, which is transmitted to Earth through high-frequency radio waves. A rectenna is a ground antenna that converts radio waves into electricity.

A solar power station in space that is illuminated by the sun for 24 hours a day could generate electricity. Terrestrial solar power systems on Earth can only produce electricity during the day and depend on the weather.

With global energy demand projected to increase by nearly 50% by 2050, space-based solar power could be key to helping meet the growing demand for the world's energy sector and tackling global temperature rise.

Some challenges

A space-based solar power station is based on a modular design, where a large number of solar modules are assembled. It's difficult and costly to transport all these elements into space.

The weight of solar panels was identified as an early challenge. The development of ultra-light solar cells has addressed this.

Space-based solar power is considered to be technically feasible due to advances in key technologies.

It will take many space shuttle launches to assemble just one space-based solar power station. Although space-based solar power is designed to reduce carbon emissions in the long run, there are significant emissions associated with space launches as well as costs.

Space shuttles are not currently re-usable, but companies like SpaceX are working to change that. The cost of space-based solar power would be reduced if launch systems were reuse.

The operation of a space-based solar power station would face many practical challenges. Solar panels could be damaged by space debris. Earth's atmosphere does not protect panels in space. Being exposed to more intense solar radiation means they will degrade faster than those on Earth, which will reduce the power they are able to generate.

The efficiency of wireless power transmission is an issue. It is difficult to transmit energy from a solar satellite in space to the ground. Only a small portion of the collected solar energy would reach the Earth.

Pilot projects are already underway

The Space Solar Power Project in the U.S. is working on solar cells and a conversion and transmission system that can be used in space. The Naval Research Laboratory tested a solar module and power conversion system in space. The Bishan space solar energy station will have a functioning system by the year 2035.

In the U.K., a 17 billion space-based solar power development is considered to be a viable concept. The solar power station is expected to be operational in 2040.

The solar power satellite is 1.7 km in diameter. The antenna takes up a lot of space. It is more likely to be placed offshore due to the use of land across the U.K.

The U.K.'s generation capacity is around 76GW, and this is a small contribution to it.

The project would need a lot of government and private money because of the high initial costs and slow return on investment.

The cost of space launch and manufacturing will decrease as technology improves. The scale of the project will allow for mass manufacturing, which should drive the cost down.

We don't know if space-based solar power can help us meet net zero. Diverse and flexible energy storage, hydrogen, and growth in renewable energy systems can be more easily applied.

Despite the challenges, space-based solar power can be used for research and development. The technology is likely to play a role in the global energy supply in the future.

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