Iceland to Receive Space-Based Energy in New Agreement with Space Solar

On 21 October, UK-based Space Solar, Reykjavik Energy and Icelandic sustainability initiative Transition Labs announced the signing of an agreement for an innovative space solar power project. The pilot project will deliver 30 megawatts of clean energy to Iceland by 2030.

New Solar Power System

Unlike ground-based solar power plants, which depend on sunlight and weather, Space Solar’s technology provides stable power generation.

The company has developed a system that harnesses solar energy in orbit around the Earth and transmits it wirelessly to ground stations using high-frequency radio waves, eliminating the need for extensive infrastructure and reducing transmission losses.

By 2030, Space Solar intends to launch its demonstration satellite, which will weigh 70.5 tonnes, be about 400 metres wide (including solar panels) and orbit in medium Earth orbit at altitudes between 2,000 and 36,000 kilometres.

The ground stations will convert the energy into electricity and feed it directly into the grid, supplying clean energy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of weather conditions. The system will be competitive with renewable energy sources on Earth as it can provide electricity for $2.25 billion per gigawatt, about a quarter of the cost of nuclear power.

Space Solar says developing and producing the pilot plant will cost $800 million.

Transforming the Energy Landscape

Independent analysis by Imperial College London shows that adding 8GW of space solar power to the UK energy system could save over £4 bn a year.

Transition Labs, Reykjavik Energy and Solar Space are working to solve space solar engineering challenges and identify potential locations for additional receiving stations as the power station constellation develops, including Iceland, Canada and northern Japan.

By 2036, Solar Space plans to scale the system to six such space solar power plants, delivering gigawatts of clean electricity to users on Earth. By the mid-2040s, Space Solar’s orbiting power plants could produce more than 15 gigawatts.