Meta has announced a strategic partnership with space energy startup Overview Energy to secure up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of space-based solar power. This initiative AIms to provide a continuous, clean energy source for Meta's rapidly expanding AI data centers.
️ How It Works
Overview Energy's system involves deploying satellites in geoSynchronous orbit, APProximately 22,000 miles above Earth. These satellites will continuously collect solar energy, unaffected by night or weather, and transmit it back to Earth as a low-intensity near-infrared light beam. Existing ground-based solar fArms will be equipped to convert this beam into electricity, just like regular sunlight, and feed it into the grid. This allows for power generation even after sunset.
Complementary long-duration storage
In a related move to ensure 24/7 power availability, Meta has also partnered with Noon Energy to reserve up to 1GW/100GWh of long-duration energy stoRAGe. Unlike Standard lithium-ion batteries designed for short-term storage, Noon's Technology uses reversible solid oxide fuel cells and carbon-based storage to hold clean energy for over 100 hours. The first pilot project, a 25MW/2.5GWh facility, is scheduled for completion in 2028.
The Bigger Picture
AI data centers require constant power, a demand that intermittent sources like wind and solar cannot meet alone. To address this, Meta has already contrACTed for over 30GW of clean and renewable energy and supports 7.7GW of nuclear power. This venture into space-based solar represents a more speculative, long-term supplement to its energy portfolio.
Meta acknowledges the technology is still in its early stages. Overview Energy plans its first orbital dEMOnstration for 2028, with commercial power delivery to the U.S. grid potentially starting as early as 2030.
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