Space based solar power innovation competition

Grant support for projects to develop technologies, energy systems and mission architecture needed for space based solar power

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a grant competition to support the development of technologies associated with space based solar power systems, some of which may also have terrestrial applications.

Space Based Solar Power (SBSP) is the concept of collecting solar power in a high earth orbit and beaming it securely to a fixed point on the earth and could deliver clean baseload energy day and night throughout the year. A recently published independent report Space based solar power: de-risking the pathway to net zero found SBSP to be technically feasible, potentially economically competitive and aligned with UK government priorities.

The competition will provide from £3 million with potential for an additional amount of up to £3 million in grants to fund innovation in SBSP. The competition will support technologies at Technology Readiness (TRL) Level 1 to 6 at the start of the project.

Funding is divided into four lots:

• wireless power transmission
• high concentration solar photovoltaics (PV)
• SBSP energy systems engineering
• SBSP space mission architecture feasibility studies

Find out more about the competiton and how to apply.

First published 2 August 2022