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UK Space Solar Power: Clean Energy Future?

Financial Times Companies •
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Britain is exploring space-based solar power as a potential source of constant low-carbon electricity. The concept involves capturing solar energy in orbit and beaming it to Earth, offering a solution to renewable energy's intermittency problem. While the technology promises clean baseload power, significant technical and economic challenges remain.

Current solar and wind power generation fluctuates with weather conditions, creating gaps in supply. Space-based solar could provide uninterrupted energy by positioning solar panels in orbit where sunlight is constant. However, the technology requires advances in wireless power transmission and massive infrastructure investments. Cost remains a major barrier, with estimates suggesting billions in development expenses before commercial viability.

The UK government has shown interest in the technology as part of its net-zero strategy, with some experts viewing it as a long-term solution for decarbonizing the power grid. Private companies are also exploring the concept, though commercial deployment remains years away. The technology faces competition from other clean energy solutions and must overcome public concerns about safety and environmental impacts.