Space energy involves the collection of solar energy in space with further transmission to Earth. This idea is not new, but recent technological advances have made this prospect more real. By 2035, the UK may launch the first power plant into space, which will provide 30% of the country’s needs, writes Focus.
The orbital station is planned to be built as part of the Space Energy Initiative (SEI). It should receive several lightweight panels and mirrors that capture the sun’s rays and generate about 3.4 GW of electricity, which will then be sent to Earth using Bluetooth wireless technology. The British can have a limitless source of clean energy, covering about 30% of the country’s electricity needs.
The UK is now moving away from fossil fuels and unstable sources such as Russian gas. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent fuel prices skyrocketing over the past six months as Russian President Vladimir Putin restricted fuel supplies to Europe.
Although the UK received only 4% of its gas from Russia in 2021, market shocks have forced the country to change its energy balance in favor of alternative sources. And the government’s energy strategy, released in April, identified nuclear power as one of the key ways to increase its energy security and independence.
According to Dr. Sanjay Wijendran, who is collaborating with the European Space Agency, solar space power plants can be a more efficient way to generate energy than nuclear ones. Against the background of the climate and energy crisis, the space industry is developing rapidly, and should soon provide humanity with cheaper and safer technologies.
“Now is the time to find out if space solar power could be part of the solution to the crisis,” the scientist said during an interview.
The construction of the first solar plant in space will cost around £16bn, with each additional satellite estimated to cost another £5bn, according to Frazer-Nash, an engineering consultancy. Each is expected to provide electricity at a cost of £50 per MWh. Running a nuclear power plant is much more expensive, with a new Sizewell C plant in Suffolk estimated to cost between £20bn and £30bn.