Overview Energy Aims to Beam Space Solar Power to Earth

A new startup has unveiled an ambitious vision to transform existing solar farms into round-the-clock power plants by beaming energy from space. Overview Energy recently ended its stealth phase, announcing a plan to deploy massive solar arrays in geosynchronous orbit. Positioned roughly 22,000 miles above Earth, these satellites would capture constant sunlight, then transmit the harvested energy to the ground using infrared lasers. The target? Utility-scale solar farms already connected to the grid, which could then distribute power even after the sun sets.

The company has secured $20 million in funding from a consortium of investors, including the Aurelia Institute, Earthrise Ventures, and Lowercarbon Capital. A portion of this capital financed a recent airborne demonstration, where a laser successfully transmitted power from a light aircraft to a ground receiver over a distance of five kilometers. This test represents a small but critical step toward proving the core technology.

For decades, the concept of space-based solar power seemed confined to science fiction. However, the dramatic reduction in launch costs over the past ten years has moved the idea into the realm of serious engineering. Several significant challenges remain, of course. It is still far more economical to install solar panels on Earth than to launch and assemble them in orbit. Furthermore, the technology for wireless power transmission from space is in its earliest developmental stages.

Overview is not alone in this emerging field. Competitors are exploring different technical paths. Aetherflux is also developing a laser-based system. Meanwhile, companies like Emrod and a partnership between Orbital Composites and Virtus Solis are focusing on microwave-based power transmission. This method uses a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum and offers a key advantage: microwaves are far less affected by clouds and humidity than infrared light, which can be absorbed by atmospheric water vapor.

However, microwave systems face their own hurdles. They cannot easily integrate with existing solar farm infrastructure, necessitating the construction of dedicated ground stations. To manage expenses, these receivers would likely be smaller, requiring a more concentrated and powerful energy beam. This raises safety questions regarding birds and aircraft, prompting research into rapid beam interruption systems.

Overview’s strategy of leveraging current solar farms could address some cost and siting issues. Yet the company must still convince the public and regulators that energy beams from space are safe and can be targeted with extreme precision. Technical efficiency is another major hurdle; the multi-step conversion process from sunlight to laser light and back to electricity must be highly efficient to make the entire endeavor worthwhile.

The startup’s roadmap is bold. It aims to launch a demonstration satellite into low Earth orbit in 2028, followed by an operational system in geosynchronous orbit by 2030, with the goal of beaming megawatts of power to Earth. This vision places Overview in direct competition with other advancing technologies, such as increasingly affordable grid-scale batteries and the potential future of nuclear fusion.

Despite the formidable obstacles, growing investment and the emergence of specialized suppliers suggest a growing belief that this science-fiction future might one day become a practical reality. The race to harness the sun’s constant power from space is officially underway.

(Source: TechCrunch)