Satellites Could Soon Start Beaming Solar Energy Directly To Iceland

Even in sun-scorched deserts around the globe, solar energy collection efforts aren’t as efficient as environmentalists would prefer. But new technologies continue to refine the process, and one project currently underway in Iceland could revolutionize the way we harness the sun’s power.

Starting off small

Reykjavik Energy is working alongside two other organizations, Transition Labs and Space Solar, to put a 1,312-foot-wide satellite into medium-Earth orbit. From there, it would be programmed to send 30 megawatts of solar energy to Iceland. That’s enough to provide power to as many as 3,000 residences.

While that might sound impressive on its own, this is just the first step in what project organizers hope will become a global sustainable energy renaissance.

Here are the group’s goals for the next decade and beyond:

• By 2036, have six satellites orbiting the Earth
• Deliver a consistent 15-gigawatt stream of solar power
• The plant is expected to cost about $800 million

There are a lot of variables in play, but if things work out as planned this method could become a more cost-effective solution than comparatively inexpensive nuclear power production.

Don’t ditch coal just yet

The search for clean, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels has been ongoing for generations, and the project currently underway in Iceland could be the breakthrough researchers have been looking for. But that doesn’t mean it’s smooth sailing from here.

For starters, even the best-case scenario doesn’t call for all six satellites to start beaming energy to Earth for another dozen years.

Furthermore, early tests aren’t exactly knocking anyone’s socks off. So far, the energy-beaming method has only been able to deliver on a tiny milliwatt scale.

If things end up coming together, however, Iceland could soon provide a glimpse of the entire world’s future.

Chris Agee November 5th, 2024

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