Space-based solar power (SBSP) could transform Europe’s energy future by cutting reliance on land-based renewables by as much as 80%, according to new research from King’s College London. The findings suggest the technology could play a pivotal role in helping the continent meet its net-zero emissions target by 2050.
The study, published in Joule, is the first to evaluate how solar power generated in space could impact European energy grids. Researchers found that SBSP could reduce the need for battery storage by more than two-thirds, while also lowering system-wide costs.
The analysis looked at NASA’s RD1 solar power design, which is expected to be operational by mid-century. Results show that adopting such a system could reduce the cost of Europe’s entire power network – including generation, storage and infrastructure – by up to 15%, representing potential savings of €35.9 billion per year.
Professor Wei He, lead author and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Engineering at King’s College London, said: “For the first time we have shown the positive impact this technology could provide for Europe. Although the feasibility of this technology is still under review, our research highlights its vast economic and environmental potential if adopted. Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 is going to require a significant shift to renewable energy, and this emerging technology could play a pivotal role in that transition.”
Why space-based solar power?
Unlike ground-based systems, solar panels in orbit are unaffected by cloud cover, day-night cycles or natural disasters such as flooding and earthquakes. SBSP would involve placing vast arrays of solar panels on satellites in space, where they could continuously collect sunlight. The energy would then be transmitted wirelessly to Earth-based receiving stations, converted to electricity, and fed into the grid or storage systems.
A potential game-changer
The King’s College London team argues that space-based solar power could be a game-changer for Europe’s clean energy transition, reducing the continent’s need for vast tracts of land for renewable installations. This could ease one of the biggest challenges facing the green transition: balancing the pace of technological development with the scale of investment required.
NASA’s RD1 is one of two SBSP designs currently under development, and while the technology is still at an early stage, researchers say it has the potential to reshape Europe’s renewable energy strategy.
