Space-based solar power could reduce Europe’s renewable energy demand by 80% by 2050, cut battery use by two-thirds and lower overall electricity costs in the region by 15%. Researchers at King's College London arrived at this conclusion after conducting detailed simulations of Europe's future power grids.in conclusion.
The model simulates energy demand, generation and storage in 33 countries and utilizes specially designed NASA solar panels that rely on mirror-like reflectors to reflect sunlight from space to designated collection stations on Earth.
It may sound like science fiction now, but there's still plenty of time - 25 years to be exact - to turn the dream into reality. If NASA can actually deliver hardware that matches its intended energy capacity, it would be a big step forward for renewable energy.
Traditional terrestrial renewable energy supplies are largely unstable, often dependent on factors such as weather and time of day. Ground-mounted solar panels are also affected by the atmosphere. On the other hand, space solar power supply will (at least in theory) be continuous and predictable.
Of course, there are many hurdles to overcome—and this study didn't take them all into account. In addition to cost, operators also need to consider efficiency, track congestion and other factors that can disrupt transmission. Earth's orbit is quickly becoming crowded - do we really want to send more satellites into space? Can they avoid all the other space junk already out there?
Europe is not the only region that sees space as a future energy requirement. Earlier this year, Japan announced it was developing a similar space-based solar power project. Their proposed system would use microwaves to transmit electrical energy collected from space to Earth. Early tests from aircraft to ground collection centers were successful.
