Aiming For Skies: UK announce project to beam back Solar power from space

London

Aiming to harness energy from skies, the United Kingdom on Tuesday announced a project to develop cutting-edge tech to collect energy from the Sun in space and then beam it back to Earth.

To set up a space-based solar power project, Britain is funding leading universities and tech companies to develop innovative technologies in the renewable energy sector.

The ambitious project aims at setting up space-based solar power to collect energy using solar panels on satellites and then beam it safely back to Earth to boost the country’s energy security.

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UK Energy Security Minister Grant Shapps made the announcement in London Tech Week and said a grant of 4.3 million pounds is being provided to 8 projects of British universities and companies for it.

The projects which have been awarded grants include Cambridge University’s ultra-lightweight solar panels for satellites to function in space and Queen Mary University’s wireless energy transfer system to beam back collected energy.

Grant Shapps said the tech of these universities is in the early stages of development and it will boost Britain’s energy security, besides reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

This will also cut down the household bills of millions of consumers in the country, for these solar power projects will have access to Sun’s energy 99% of the time in a year in space.

As per a study, space-based solar power has the potential of generating 10 GW of electricity in a year by 2050 and create 143,000 jobs, besides propelling a multi-billion pound industry.

Shapps stated that the UK along with Japan and the United States among other countries is committed to developing space-based solar power, and in fact, the California Institute of Technology has claimed success in transmitting power back to Earth.

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“We’re taking a giant leap by backing the development of this exciting technology and putting the UK at the forefront of this rapidly emerging industry as it prepares for launch.

By winning this new space race, we can transform the way we power our nation and provide cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy for generations to come,” he added.

Shapps also posted video on Twitter and said, “We plans to put UK at the forefront on an industry that’s quite literally out of this world.”

New plans to put the UK at the forefront of an industry that’s quite literally out of this world 🛰🌞

Space-based solar power could be a giant leap for our economy & our energy security – providing round-the-clock power and supporting thousands of British jobs 👇 pic.twitter.com/iaR0wHMhrg

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) June 13, 2023