Meta has signed a capacity reservation agreement with Overview Energy, a space solar startup, to receive up to 1 gigawatt of power from satellites that collect sunlight in geosynchronous orbit and beam it as near-infrared light to existing ground solar farms. The deal is the first commercial capacity reservation for space-based solar power by any company. Overview's approach differs from earlier concepts by using a low-intensity near-infrared beam aimed at existing photovoltaic installations, extending their generation hours into the night without new land or infrastructure. An orbital demonstration is planned for January 2028, with commercial delivery targeted for 2030. The deal is framed as a strategic hedge for Meta, which consumed over 18,000 GWh in 2024 and is targeting 30 GW of renewable capacity, but significant technical and commercial risks remain as no space solar system has ever been commercially deployed.
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