Iceland builds solar power plant in space

People have been thinking about the option and possibilities of solar power from space for many years. This could become a reality in just a few years in Iceland.

One of the common complaints about solar power is the need to connect to panels. Even in the sunniest areas, we can't have 24/7 sunlight all year round. So for decades, people have been considering using a constant source of light from the Sun in space.

The plant is essentially a satellite, capable of generating around 30 megawatts of electricity. (Photo: businessner/Dalle-E OpenAI).

According to IFLScience on November 3, Space Solar Company (UK) is cooperating with Reykjavik Energy Company and sustainability initiative Transition Labs (both in Iceland) to develop a space-based solar power plant.

The plant, essentially a satellite, could produce about 30 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 1,500 to 3,000 homes by 2030. The system would collect sunlight in space through solar panels and then transmit it as radio waves at a specific frequency to a ground station to convert it into electricity for the grid.

The CASSIOPeiA satellite is expected to be expandable and quite large. It could be the heaviest single object in space that is not a space station. When all the parts of the satellite are extended to face the Sun, it will be much larger than the International Space Station (ISS).

Space Solar also aims to have an upgraded version of this system in space by 2036, capable of delivering gigawatts of electricity.

'Partnering with Reykjavik Energy marks a major milestone in Space Solar 's ​​journey towards full-scale deployment. Their forward-thinking approach to climate technology, combined with their expertise in carbon storage through Carbfix and long-standing partnership with Climeworks make Reykjavik Energy the perfect partner for Space Solar's ​​early stages ,' said Kjartan Orn Olafsson, CEO of Transition Labs.

Space-based solar power offers unparalleled benefits with competitive energy costs and 24/7 availability. However, the plan is quite bold, as orbital power transmission has yet to reach the capacity the project envisions.

While proven to be feasible, current technology can only transmit a few milliwatts of power from space to the ground. Iceland's project would have to be able to transmit billions of times more power.

Therefore, Space Solar will have to face and solve the above challenges to smoothly operate the solar power plant in the future.