The solar revolution takes off: Space Solar Farms could bring clean energy to earth, say UK Scientists
innovative clean energy solutions, and their dedication has yielded a remarkable breakthrough: the utilization of solar panels in outer space. This pioneering approach carries the potential to revolutionize our access to sustainable energy, marking a pivotal moment in meeting our planet's energy demands.
Pioneering research conducted by the Universities of Surrey and Swansea has proven the feasibility of crafting cost-effective, lightweight solar panels designed for energy generation in space.
This groundbreaking investigation, the first of its kind, monitored a satellite's performance over an extensive six-year period, scrutinizing how the solar panels harnessed energy while enduring the rigors of solar radiation during 30,000 orbits. These findings open the door to economically viable space-based solar farms.
The satellite itself was a collaborative effort between the Surrey Space Centre and budding engineers from the Algerian Space Agency.
«We are thrilled that a mission originally designed for a one-year lifespan has endured for six years. This comprehensive dataset attests to the panels' resilience against radiation and demonstrates that their thin-film structure remains intact under the severe thermal and vacuum conditions of space.
The ultra-lightweight solar cell technology holds the potential to bring substantial, low-cost solar power stations to space, subsequently supplying clean energy to Earth. We now possess the first substantial proof of this technology's reliable operation in orbit,» emphasized Professor Craig Underwood, Emeritus Professor of Spacecraft Engineering at the Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey.
The University of Swansea, as per an official statement, has engineered innovative solar
