'The potential to make existing infrastructure produce more output is what makes space solar worth investing in now': Meta wants to power its future data centers with solar energy beamed from space — meaning solar plants can operate even at night-time
Meta is investing in space solar and long-duration storage
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/efosa-udinmwen · TechRadarNews By Efosa Udinmwen published 2 May 2026
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- Meta bets on space solar with Overview Energy for nonstop data center power
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- Meta and Overview Energy target 2028 orbital energy demonstration milestone launch
Meta has announced a partnership with Overview Energy to bring space-based solar power to its data centers, allowing solar farms to generate electricity around the clock.
Today's solar facilities only produce power when the sun is shining, leaving them idle for large parts of each day.
Overview Energy's satellites sit in geosynchronous orbit roughly 22,000 miles above Earth, where sunlight is constant. These satellites collect energy in space and beam it down to Earth-based solar facilities as low-intensity near-infrared light.
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How space solar power actually works on the ground
"The potential to make existing infrastructure produce more output is what makes space solar worth investing in now to help move this technology from concept to the grid," Meta stated in a blog post.
Existing solar farms will receive the beamed energy and convert it into electricity the same way they handle direct sunlight.
This means facilities that currently sit idle at night can keep producing power around the clock without requiring additional land or grid infrastructure.
Because the technology builds on solar infrastructure already in place rather than requiring new facilities, it can come online faster at scale than traditional buildouts.
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