The British firm Space Solar plans to provide solar energy from space to Iceland by 2030, potentially marking the world's first demonstration of this renewable energy source.
Announced on October 21, the project is being developed in collaboration with Reykjavik Energy and the Icelandic sustainable development initiative Transition Labs. By 2030, the partners aim to launch a demonstration space power station capable of transmitting 30 megawatts of clean energy to Earth, enough to power approximately 3,000 homes.
The satellite will weigh 70.5 tons, measure about 400 meters wide (including solar panels), and orbit at altitudes between 2,000 and 36,000 kilometers.
By 2036, the partners intend to construct a fleet of six such space solar stations, capable of delivering gigawatts of clean electricity to users on Earth 24/7, regardless of weather conditions. Space Solar plans to utilize SpaceX's Starship for the launches, with each satellite being deployed in a single launch and designed modularly to allow for various sizes of space power stations.
According to Space Solar, the development and construction of the pilot station will cost around $800 million. The system is expected to produce electricity at a cost roughly a quarter that of nuclear energy—$2.25 billion per gigawatt—making it competitive with terrestrial renewable sources. Unlike terrestrial photovoltaic and wind turbines, orbital power stations will not experience downtime, a significant drawback of traditional renewable energy sources. They will generate electricity continuously, independent of time of day and weather conditions.
The project team is currently seeking locations for ground-based receiving antennas that will collect energy transmitted as high-frequency radio waves and convert it into electricity for the power grid.
Several countries, including Japan and China, also plan to establish space power stations in the coming years. In February, the American company Virtus Solis announced plans to launch a space-based demonstrator in 2027, which will also rely on Starship and provide around 1 megawatt for users on Earth.