The UK Government has announced that it awarding funding of £4.3-million (about R100.66-million) to seven British universities and technology companies to develop technologies necessary to create a space-based solar power (SBSP) sector, to provide the country with green energy. Of the funding, £3.3-million (some R77.25-million) will be provided by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, while the rest will come from the UK Space Agency. SBSP would see large solar arrays deployed in space, generating electricity, which would then be transmitted down to Earth, using wireless (microwave) technology, in a safe manner, and introduced into terrestrial transmission grids. Space-based solar arrays would be in sunlight for 99% of the time.
