Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP)

Why in News?

A King’s College London study (2025) published in Joule estimated that SBSP could supply up to 80% of Europe’s renewable energy needs by 2050.

Description:

• Concept: Satellites in geostationary orbit harvest continuous sunlight and beam it to Earth as microwaves.
• Ground stations convert microwaves into electricity.
• Based on NASA-developed concepts:
  • Heliostat swarm design (continuous mirror reflectors).
  • Planar array design (intermittent).

Advantages of SBSP:

• Continuous solar power → unaffected by day-night cycle or weather.
• Higher solar radiation in space (no atmospheric losses).
• Zero-carbon, dispatchable power → addresses intermittency problems of terrestrial solar/wind.

Challenges & Limitations:

1. Scale of infrastructure:
   1. A single SBSP satellite: >1 km across.
   1. Ground receiver station: >10 km across.
2. Launch requirements: Hundreds of launches needed for one satellite (for comparison: ISS took >40 flights).
3. High costs:
   1. Current launch, assembly, and maintenance costs are prohibitively high.
   1. ESA & The Guardian → cost-effectiveness unlikely before 2050.
4. Space-specific issues:
   1. Orbital congestion.
   1. Transmission interruptions.
   1. Microwave beaming variability.

Global Perspectives:

• European Space Agency (ESA): Exploring SBSP, but cites scale & cost barriers.
• International Energy Agency (IEA): Solar is fastest-growing renewable; SBSP discussed as a futuristic solution.
• India: ISRO has shown interest in wireless power transmission & solar satellite feasibility studies.

La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2025 preparation.

FOLLOW US ON:

◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam

◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS

◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/

GET IN TOUCH:

Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/

or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140

OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020

Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524,  Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081

Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040