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Space Based Solar Power

Roger B

A strange article in E+T which seems to support a very limited and costly source of electricity.

https://eandt.theiet.org/2025/08/20/solar-panels-placed-space-could-drastically-reduce-need-earth-based-renewables

Hoping for a bit more engineering content I found the original publication,

https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(25)00255-7

with the pdf here.

https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2542-4351%2825%2900255-7

I am fairly sure there was a discussion in a previous iteration of this forum looking at the problems and risks of beaming microwave energy from space to a ground station, what the energy density would need to be and how to avoid the beam being deflected to a nearby town.

The article itself seems to suggest that this is an alternative to batteries for when the sun doesn’t shine as there are no clouds in space (do clouds absorb microwave energy?) and requires a fourteenfold cost reduction before it is viable.

The key statement is on page 9:

“Advanced nuclear encompassing small modular reactors (SMRs) and Gen IV designs, with fusion more distant aims to deliver continuous, carbon-free electricity. Demonstration SMRs have entered operation or advanced construction in recent years, and a Gen IV pebble-bed reactor began supplying power in 2021.45 By contrast, SBSP may be unlikely to mature before the 2040s, so advanced nuclear may achieve commercial readiness sooner.”

Even if SBSP might work nuclear will get there sooner and do a better job.

What do the panel think?

Parents

  • I would take this as an example that the point of academic research is to explore possibilities, it's very often not possible to guess where these might lead. 

    The cycle tends to be that:

    - the academic publishes a thought exercise in order to promote further research

    - the press leap on it and publish it as "this is coming NOW!"

    - the press and public together then ridicule it as "well they promised this but it never happened"

    - the academic goes and gets very drunk and depressed and wished they'd never had to publish it

    Incidentally I'm very aware that University press departments often don't help this cycle at all...they get pushed to promote early stage research in order to gain funding.

    These days I regret to say that I read New Scientist rather than E&T, NS is very good at being clear whether research is "at the point of practical implementation" or is "here's an idea, what does it make the rest of you think of that might be a better idea?"

    Back in the engineering world, please let's start putting solar panels on all the acres and acres of flat (and flattish) roofing...I cringe every time I pass an industrial estate or trading estate at the wasted roof space potential...

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  • I would take this as an example that the point of academic research is to explore possibilities, it's very often not possible to guess where these might lead. 

    The cycle tends to be that:

    - the academic publishes a thought exercise in order to promote further research

    - the press leap on it and publish it as "this is coming NOW!"

    - the press and public together then ridicule it as "well they promised this but it never happened"

    - the academic goes and gets very drunk and depressed and wished they'd never had to publish it

    Incidentally I'm very aware that University press departments often don't help this cycle at all...they get pushed to promote early stage research in order to gain funding.

    These days I regret to say that I read New Scientist rather than E&T, NS is very good at being clear whether research is "at the point of practical implementation" or is "here's an idea, what does it make the rest of you think of that might be a better idea?"

    Back in the engineering world, please let's start putting solar panels on all the acres and acres of flat (and flattish) roofing...I cringe every time I pass an industrial estate or trading estate at the wasted roof space potential...

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