PREVIEW

Meta and Overview Energy Aim to Beam Electricity from Space by 2030. Meta has partnered with space startup Overview Energy to secure a future supply of solar power generated in orbit and transmitted to Earth, marking a bold step in terms of energy sourcing. The partnership centres on a developing technology that would collect solar energy in space—where sunlight is constant—and beam it down to terrestrial facilities, enabling continuous electricity generation. Meta has secured early access to as much as one gigawatt of capacity, roughly comparable to the output of a nuclear reactor, though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The companies plan an initial orbital demonstration of the system by 2028, with commercial-scale energy delivery targeted for 2030. The initiative reflects intensifying pressure on Big Tech firms to secure reliable power supplies as artificial intelligence and data centres drive unprecedented electricity demand. Meta’s move also aligns with its broader strategy of diversifying energy sources, complementing previous investments in nuclear and other energy solutions to ensure stable, low-carbon power. Space-based solar energy, long considered theoretically promising but commercially elusive due to high costs and technical barriers, is gaining renewed attention as falling launch costs.
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