Virginia-based startup Overview Energy says it could begin supplying grid electricity from space-based solar systems as early as January 2028. The concept is to place solar panels in orbit, where they can receive sunlight around the clock, and then transmit the captured energy back to Earth using powerful lasers or microwave beams, depending on the technology used.
Co-founder and co-CEO Darko Filipi told the Washington Post that the company believes the approach can deliver utility-scale power. He said Overview Energy alone could meet one quarter of US energy demand growth over the next decade.
The four-year-old startup signed a deal with Meta earlier this year to provide the tech company with up to 1 gigawatt of space-based solar energy, roughly equivalent to the output of a nuclear reactor. But the agreement is tied to a technology that has not yet been tested in real-world operating conditions.
Even with rising interest, the sector’s outlook remains contested. The most optimistic projections still suggest space-based solar power will not become cost competitive before 2040. Amory Lovins, a Stanford physicist and co-founder of energy think tank RMI, told the Washington Post that the technology may work, but he has serious doubts about its economics. In his view, established low-carbon options such as nuclear and geothermal power can generate electricity far more cheaply.
Still, momentum is building. The article says the rapid rise in electricity demand from hyperscale data centers, driven by the artificial intelligence boom, is pushing both public and private investors toward an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes next-generation and emerging technologies.
A major argument in favor of space-based solar is land scarcity. Utility-scale solar and wind projects require large areas, while resistance to major renewable developments has been growing in some rural communities. A 2022 McKinsey & Company report noted that utility-scale solar and wind farms require at least ten times as much space per unit of power as coal- or natural gas-fired plants, including the land used to produce and transport fossil fuels.
That makes orbital solar especially attractive to developers. Overview Energy argues that it could meet a quarter of new US energy demand without any new construction on land. If the model works as planned, solar satellites could also direct electricity to whichever grids need it most, potentially reshaping energy security planning.
