Solar power harvested from space could cut the whole of Europe’s need for land-based renewable energy by up to 80% by 2050, according to a new study.
This could prove to be a ‘game changer’ for the continent’s ambitions to reach net zero by then, a statement from King’s College London (KCL) said.
The study, carried out by researchers from KCL, used a detailed computer model of Europe’s future power grid and considered the impact of adding in an advanced space-based solar power (SBSP) panel design.
The NASA-led high-tech system would use a heliostat design – a heliostat being a device that reflects sunlight toward a target, turning to compensate for the Sun’s apparent motion.
This would allow the panel arrays to maximise their efficiency with mirror-like reflectors that transmit the sunlight to stations on Earth, where it can be converted to electricity and added to the energy grid.
SBSP is not a new concept, but this is the first major study to look at the potential impact of deploying the technology across Europe.
The highly detailed computer model incorporated 33 countries, simulating elements of the continent’s future electricity demands, generation and storage capacity.
Space-based solar power could reduce Europe-wide energy costs by 15%
When the SBSP system was added into the mix, using NASA’s own estimates for its energy-generating capacity, the simulation showed that this could potentially replace up to 80% of Europe’s land-based renewable energy.
The study also found that it could reduce the costs of the entire European power grid by as much as 15% and decrease the need for battery storage by more than two-thirds.
One of the major benefits of a heliostat-based SBSP system is that it would be more constant and reliable than many renewable energy sources.
Land-based solar collection is affected by seasonal changes, with shorter days and a lower sun angle reducing the energy that can be harvested in winter.
Shorter-term weather conditions also have an impact on Earth-based solar and wind power systems.
The study authors note, however, that space-based systems face their own unique challenges.
A significant one is the upfront cost of setting up an SBSP system in the first place, while orbital congestion, transmission interruptions and beaming variability could also be important factors.
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