The UK wants to build a solar power station in space by 2035 | Energy and science

More than 50 British technology organisations, including aerospace manufacturer Airbus, the University of Cambridge and satellite manufacturer SSTL, have joined the UK Space Energy Initiative, which was launched with the aim of exploring options for developing a solar power station in space by 2035.

According to the Space website, the project is betting that transmitting electricity from space using the sun could help the UK reach its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 more cost-effectively than many existing technologies.

While participating in the “Towards a Zero Grid Enabling Space” conference held in London, Martin Soltau, head of the initiative, stated that all the technology needed to develop a solar power station in space already exists.

The work is based on an engineering survey conducted by consultancy Frazer-Nash and commissioned by the UK government last year. “The study concluded that this is technically possible and does not require any advances in the laws of physics, new materials or component technology,” Soltau said.

At the same conference, Andrew Ross Wilson, an aerospace engineering researcher at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, agreed that creating a solar power station in space was a realistic project.

He pointed out that “the idea has been around since the 1960s,” adding that among the challenges facing the operation of this factory is the question of what will happen to the giant structure after it reaches the end of its production life. “We need to try to look at in-orbit recycling to move towards a more circular economy.”

Modular concept

According to Soltau, the development plan is for 12 years, during which time a pilot station, assembled by robots in orbit, can be seen radiating gigawatts of energy from space to Earth.

Space highlights that the project explores a modular concept called CASSIOPeiA (fixed aperture, solid-state, integrated, orbital phased array or fixed aperture, solid-state, integrated orbital phased array, in Portuguese), developed by British engineering firm International Electric Company.

This modular nature of the in-orbit station means it can be expanded beyond the demonstration phase. But even this object will be gigantic, with a diameter of several kilometers, and will orbit at an altitude of 36 thousand kilometers above the Earth.

“The main tasks of the satellite are to collect solar energy through large optical mirrors and concentrate the energy in photovoltaic cells, just like we do on Earth,” says Soltau. “They produce a direct electrical current, which is then converted into microwaves by solid-state radiofrequency power amplifiers and transmitted in a coherent microwave beam to Earth.”

According to the researchers, CASSIOPeiA will produce much more electricity than any ground-based solar plant of similar size. In a comparison between a solar panel placed in the United Kingdom and a similar panel installed in space, the latter will harvest 13 times more energy.

Another advantage is that the space station will not suffer from the intermittency problem that plagues most renewable energy generation operations on Earth.

To receive energy from space, the system will rely on a giant ground antenna. The equipment, called “Rectenna”, will receive microwave radiation sent from space and convert it into direct electrical current, which is used to transmit high voltage.

The structure acts as an open network of antennas 7 x 13 km in size. “This is quite large, but in the UK context, it would only take up about 40% of the area of ​​an equivalent solar farm,” Soltau concludes.

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