Bbabo NET

Science & Technology News

Europe intends to receive solar energy directly from space

The European Space Agency (ESA) intends to seek funding for a new Solaris project, which involves the creation of a space solar power station. So far, we are talking about the amount for a feasibility study, this stage is planned to be completed by 2025. The money will be requested at a meeting of European Union ministers in November, although the amount is still unknown.

“We already have the basic building blocks, but let me be clear: there is still a lot of technology development and funding needed for the project to succeed,” ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher tweeted.

The United States, China, Great Britain and Russia have similar projects. The idea is that the satellites will receive power with minimal loss. It will also reduce the carbon footprint and solve the energy problems of the EU.

According to preliminary data from the German analytical company Roland Berger, the creation of one satellite will cost 8.1 billion euros with significant advances in technology, and its use for 30 years will cost 7.5 billion euros. If there is no progress, then the development will cost 33.4 billion, and the operation - 31.1 billion euros.

The British Frazer-Nash says that for the period from 2022 to 2070, the costs could range from 149 to 262 billion euros. A constellation of 54 "gigawatt-class" satellites will generate a benefit of more than 600 billion euros at development and operation costs of 418 billion euros. At the same time, experts believe that the technology has potential.

As mentioned above, China is also developing such satellites, and they intend to launch the first station there as early as 2028. The energy will be transmitted to Earth using a laser or microwave radiation. At the first stage it will be only 10 kW. In 2030, there will be up to 1 MW, and by 2050, transmission of up to 2 GW is expected.

Earlier, Elon Musk said that in the future energy will come from the Sun, but for now it is worth keeping nuclear power plants.

Europe intends to receive solar energy directly from space