Area solar energy examine outlines potential function in Europes clear vitality future
by Sophie Jenkins
London, UK (SPX) Aug 22, 2025
Area-based solar energy might considerably reshape Europe’s vitality system by 2050, in accordance with new analysis within the journal Joule. The examine estimates the expertise might scale back Europe’s reliance on Earth-based wind and photo voltaic technology by as much as 80% whereas reducing general grid prices by 7% to fifteen%.
Researchers modeled the European vitality system in 2050 utilizing two NASA-developed designs for orbital photo voltaic arrays: the Progressive Heliostat Swarm and the Mature Planar Array. The heliostat design, although much less mature, demonstrated greater efficiency and the potential to outperform terrestrial renewables, whereas the planar array was nearer to deployment readiness however much less value efficient.
“In area, you probably have the flexibility to place photo voltaic panels to at all times face the solar, which implies energy technology may be almost steady in comparison with the day by day sample on Earth,” mentioned senior creator Wei He of King’s School London. He emphasised that orbital panels would additionally profit from stronger photo voltaic radiation than ground-based programs.
Area-based solar energy would function by orbiting panels beaming harvested vitality down as microwaves to Earth receiving stations, the place it might be transformed to electrical energy and built-in into present infrastructure. Whereas the heliostat design confirmed the best promise, the planar design might nonetheless present crucial demonstration alternatives on shorter timescales.
Modeling steered that heliostat-based programs might minimize reliance on wind and photo voltaic by as much as 80%, scale back battery utilization by greater than 70%, and decrease prices considerably if improvement objectives are met. Nevertheless, to turn into value aggressive, annual system prices should fall to about 14 occasions these of Earth-based photo voltaic for the heliostat design, and 9 occasions for the planar array. At the moment, prices stay one to 2 orders of magnitude greater.
The researchers argue that coordinated improvement of each designs would maximize progress, with near-term demonstration utilizing planar arrays supporting long-term deployment of heliostat programs. Key challenges forward embody large-scale wi-fi energy transmission checks, in-orbit robotic meeting, and addressing dangers akin to orbital particles and system degradation.
“That is the primary paper to place space-based solar energy into the vitality system transition framework,” He famous. “We’re at present at a stage to switch this blue-sky thought into testing at a big scale, and to start discussing regulation and policymaking.”
Analysis Report:Assess space-based solar power for European-scale power system decarbonization
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