Space Solar and the 30MW Of Beaming Science Fiction Come To Life

If you want to top SpaceX’ wondrous rocket capturing chopsticks, look no further than Didcot, in Oxfordshire, and Reykjavik in about five years’ time. I’m not sure exactly how much we’ll see, but merely turning on a light switch will send shivers up the spine of several kinds of geeks; myself included. The agreement between Reykjavik Energy and Space Solar, announced on 23rd October, created a bit of a splash in a news cycle dominated by U.S. elections, weather-induced disasters, and wars. The outcome – 30 megawatts of solar power generated in space and beamed to Iceland by the year 2030 – could disrupt base load power generation permanently.

Reykjavik is the perfect place for this

If you’ve ever washed dishes in Reykjavik, you’ll understand why this is a perfect place to trial Space Solar’s technology. The hot water there is HOT, and it’s geothermally sourced. Moreover, its electricity is generated from a combination of geothermal and hydroelectric sources (27% and 73%, respectively). The city has an innovative mindset when it comes to utilities.

One of the merits of space-borne solar power generation is that works for as long as the satellite is out of Earth’s shadow. The first thought is that this would be useful for base load power provision, and if so, it would be coming none too soon. The International Energy Agency raised its expectations for electrical power demand in 2035 by 6%, or 2 200 terawatt-hours (TWh). That’s just the increase in expectations, not the total demand.

Is Space Solar the R-R of a new form of power generation?

I’m astounded that this can come to fruition, and in terms of years, not decades. This is not to throw shade on Rolls-Royce’s prowess in nuclear power, and if nuclear propulsion or even space-borne nuclear power generation can be made viable, I’m not in a position to nay-say it. And I do hope that NASA can move into the Age of Sail, but if Space Solar pulls this off, and I think they will, the change in the structure of power generation, and with it demand, on Earth, and possibly beyond, is possibly beyond our reckoning.