The Facts
On Tuesday, the UK government announced £4.3M in funding for universities and tech firms to develop a space-based solar power plant.
Energy security secretary Grant Shapps stated that, by collecting energy from the Sun using satellite-mounted panels and transmitting it back to Earth, the solar plant could help boost the UK's energy security.
The Spin
Narrative A
A space-based solar power plant could significantly reduce the need for fossil fuels, cut household bills, and extend access to clean power to remote locations. The technology, apart from providing cheaper, cleaner, and more secure energy for future generations, may well fundamentally transform how the UK power system operates.
Narrative B
These plans might be too risky and difficult to execute. The government has sidelined concerns about the radiation risk from any electricity beamed and the threat of solar panels being battered by micrometeorites and generating massive amounts of space debris without any substantial justification. Additionally, if handled incorrectly, space-based solar power plants could one day become weapons of mass destruction. The potential downsides of these plans should not be understated.
