Ed Miliband Eyes Solar Farms In Space To Hit Net Zero Targets

Summary: A government study has proposed launching solar farms into orbit to help Britain hit net zero, with satellites beaming electricity back to Earth. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says space-based power could deliver constant zero-carbon energy. Critics question the cost, subsidies and whether taxpayers will fund another high-risk green experiment.

Solar Farms In Space To Hit Net Zero

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According to GB News, Britain could deploy solar farms in orbit as part of efforts to meet net zero targets, following the release of a government-commissioned study.

The report, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, outlines plans for satellites fitted with lightweight solar panels to harvest energy in space before transmitting it back to Earth.

“Space-based solar power could provide Great Britain with constant, predictable, zero-carbon power at the GW scale that displaces both intermittent renewables and fossil fuel generation.”

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The technology would involve satellites capturing sunlight in orbit, converting it into microwave radiation and beaming it to ground-based receiving stations.

“A space-based power system involves one or multiple satellites equipped with lightweight solar panels capturing the sun’s energy in space.”

“The satellite generates electricity, converts it into microwave radiation and beams it to a ground-based rectifying antenna (rectenna). The rectenna converts the microwave energy into electricity.”

The concept was first commissioned in 2021 by then-Conservative business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, who asked consultancy Frazer-Nash to assess its viability.

The Cost Question

The study admits initial costs would be high, but claims prices could fall as the technology develops.

It estimates generation costs could reach between £87 and £129 per megawatt hour by 2040.

That compares with around £150 per MWh for new nuclear power, approximately £90 per MWh for fixed offshore wind and roughly £216 per MWh for floating wind.

If those projections hold, space-based solar could qualify for contracts for difference, the subsidy scheme guaranteeing renewable generators a minimum price.

The report warns that early government backing would be essential.

“Without prior de-risking, the scale of the upfront investment required for the first large-scale system may deter investors, making it more difficult to unlock the full benefits of space-based power.”

In plain terms, taxpayers may need to shoulder the initial risk.

Ambition Or Fantasy?

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Britain is not alone in exploring the idea. The European Space Agency is advancing its Solaris programme, while China has signalled ambitions for a gigawatt-scale orbital station by 2050.

UK start-up Space Solar is also working with the UK Space Agency on self-assembling orbital systems.

Supporters argue orbiting solar avoids the intermittency of wind and ground-based solar farms.

Critics will ask harder questions. How much will this cost in total? How long before it delivers power at scale? And at a time of rising household bills, is this the priority?