Wind and solar generated a record amount of global power in 2022
NBCAPR 3 2023
A space-based solar power plant could significantly reduce the need for fossil fuels, cut household bills, and extend access to clean power to remote locations. The technology, apart from providing cheaper, cleaner, and more secure energy for future generations, may well fundamentally transform how the UK power system operates.
These plans might be too risky and difficult to execute. The government has sidelined concerns about the radiation risk from any electricity beamed and the threat of solar panels being battered by micrometeorites and generating massive amounts of space debris without any substantial justification. Additionally, if handled incorrectly, space-based solar power plants could one day become weapons of mass destruction. The potential downsides of these plans should not be understated.