China’s Space-Based Solar Farm: A Revolutionary Leap in Renewable Energy
China is making significant strides in renewable energy with the construction of a giant celestial solar farm, a project likened to creating a “Three Gorges Dam above the Earth.”
This ambitious solar farm, set to be one kilometer wide, will be launched into space using heavy-lift rockets and positioned in geostationary orbit. This strategic placement ensures that the farm remains at a fixed point relative to Earth, allowing for continuous energy harvesting without being affected by seasons or daylight cycles.
Chinese aerospace engineer Long Lehao has highlighted the magnitude of the project, calling it “as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above Earth.” The Three Gorges Dam, which spans 2,335 meters across the Yangtze River, is the world’s largest hydroelectric power producer, and this space-based solar project is expected to rival its impact.
The concept behind this solar farm is rooted in space-based photovoltaics, which generate energy through the photovoltaic effect a process of converting sunlight into usable power. Unlike ground-based solar panels, space photovoltaics can function 24×7, making them 10x more efficient at energy collection.
Construction on the space solar power station began in Chongqing in 2019, according to Global Construction Review. A reusable heavy-lift rocket, the Long March-9, is expected to carry the massive solar array into orbit. Once deployed, the farm could generate as much energy annually as the total quantity of oil extracted from the Earth, according to Sustainability Magazine. The energy will be transmitted to Earth using microwaves.
This revolutionary project aligns with other landmark solar initiatives, such as Australia’s first building powered entirely by a solar facade system and one of Europe’s largest solar farms developed by Bilgin Architects. The potential of solar energy continues to expand, as demonstrated by Dezeen’s 2022 Solar Revolution series, which explored the ways in which humans can fully harness solar power.
With China’s latest endeavor, the future of renewable energy is poised for a groundbreaking transformation.