Space-based solar gets £4.3m funding boost

A fast-growing area of technological research, spaced-based solar collects energy from the Sun using satellites in orbit, beaming it back to Earth with wireless technology. As the Sun is visible 99 per cent of the time for these satellites, it is potentially a highly reliable future source of clean energy for the planet, if the technology can deliver.

Recipients of the government funding include Cambridge University, where researchers are working on ultra-lightweight solar panels that can function in the high-radiation conditions of space, and London’s Queen Mary University which is developing a system to beam collected solar energy back to earth.

“Space technology and solar energy have a long history – the need to power satellites was a key driver in increasing the efficiency of solar panels which generate electricity for homes and businesses today,” said Dr Mamatha Maheshwarappa, Payload Systems lead at the UK Space Agency.

“There is significant potential for the space and energy sectors to work together to support the development of space-based solar power, and the UK Space Agency has contributed £1m to these innovative projects to help take this revolutionary concept to the next level.”