Overview Energy aims to transmit power from space directly to current solar power facilities

Overview Energy Unveils Ambitious Space-Based Power Initiative

Overview Energy has stepped out of stealth mode, revealing its innovative strategy to transform existing solar farms into nighttime energy receivers by capturing power transmitted from space.

The company’s vision involves deploying expansive solar arrays in geosynchronous orbit—approximately 22,000 miles above the Earth, where satellites remain fixed relative to the planet’s surface. These arrays would collect sunlight continuously and then use infrared lasers to beam the harvested energy down to large-scale solar installations on the ground. This approach could enable solar farms to deliver electricity to the grid nearly 24 hours a day.

To date, Overview Energy has secured $20 million in funding, a portion of which supported a successful demonstration: a light aircraft transmitted energy via laser to a ground-based receiver over a distance of 5 kilometers (about 3 miles).

Backing for the startup comes from investors such as the Aurelia Institute, Earthrise Ventures, Engine Ventures, EQT Foundation, Lowercarbon Capital, and Prime Movers Lab.

Space-Based Power: From Fiction to Feasibility

With the cost of launching payloads into space dropping over the past decade, the concept of generating power in orbit has shifted from science fiction to a plausible technological pursuit.

However, significant obstacles remain. Installing solar panels on Earth is still much less expensive than sending them into space, and the technology to wirelessly transmit energy from orbit to the ground is still in its early stages.

Competing Approaches and Technical Challenges

Overview Energy is not alone in this race. Aetherflux is also exploring laser-based power transmission, while companies like Emrod and Orbital Composites/Virtus Solis are focusing on microwave-based systems, which utilize a different segment of the electromagnetic spectrum.

• Microwave transmission is less affected by weather conditions such as clouds and humidity, unlike infrared lasers, which lose efficiency when water droplets absorb the energy.
• Microwave systems, however, cannot leverage existing solar farms and would require the construction of dedicated ground stations.

To minimize expenses, these ground receivers would likely be smaller, necessitating more concentrated and powerful energy beams. Safety remains a concern, as companies must develop rapid shutoff mechanisms to protect birds and aircraft from stray beams.

Advantages and Hurdles for Overview Energy

By utilizing current solar farm infrastructure, Overview Energy could sidestep some of these challenges. Nevertheless, the company must address public concerns about the safety and precision of space-based energy beams. Additionally, the efficiency of the laser transmission system is critical—any significant energy loss during conversion could negate the benefits of collecting solar power in space.

Looking Ahead: Roadmap and Industry Impact

Overview Energy plans to launch a demonstration satellite into low Earth orbit in 2028, with the ultimate goal of operating at geosynchronous altitude. If successful, the company aims to begin transmitting megawatts of power from space to Earth by 2030.

This bold endeavor faces not only technical and physical challenges but also competition from rapidly advancing grid-scale battery storage and the potential rise of nuclear fusion. Yet, the growing interest in space-based power has already inspired the emergence of specialized suppliers, signaling that a once-futuristic vision may soon become reality.