International (On-line) Conference on Energy from Space
- Towards unlocking the potential of clean, abundant, affordable and secure energy delivered from space to Earth
Want to find out everything that’s going on internationally in the rapidly expanding field of Space-based Solar Power (SBSP)?
Interested to hear perspectives on SBSP from the energy and space sectors, and from government as well as private actors and investors?
Would you like to share with the community what you are doing to help accelerate the realisation of this game-changing energy generation technology?
Then please join us online on October 9-10, from 09:30 CEST (08:30 BST), to meet and hear from international experts in the field and to discuss and learn about the vital role that Energy from Space could play in mitigating the climate crisis and contributing to a clean energy-rich world.
Registration
Important! Please read the attached Data Privacy Notice prior to registration
Please register here: https://indico.esa.int/event/476/registrations/296/
Keynote speakers
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Dr Dietmar Pilz Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality - European Space Agency | Prof. Paul Monks Chief Scientific Adviser – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | Dr Craig Brown Directory of Investment - UK Space Agency | Dr Mamatha Maheshwarappa Payload Systems Lead - UK Space Agency |
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Dr Sanjay Vijendran Lead for the SOLARIS Initiative - European Space Agency | Prof. Koji Tanaka Associate Professor - Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA | Dr Joon-Min Choi Principal Researcher - Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) | James E Winter Programme Manager - US Airforce Research Laboratory (AFRL) |
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Prof. Sergio Pellegrino Co-director - Caltech Space Solar Power Project |
Agenda - Day 1
Agenda - Day 2
What is Space-based Solar Power (SBSP)?
Space-based solar power is an emerging/potential concept for electricity generation that could provide a limitless source of continuous clean energy to help power our green future. Like terrestrial solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, it harnesses the power of sunlight and converts it into useable electricity. The difference is that it does this in space and delivers the energy to the ground in a continuous manner due to the 24/7/365 availability of sunlight in space which overcomes the intermittency of terrestrial renewables like wind and terrestrial solar which regularly cannot provide power when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. Currently however, despite the potential benefits of SBSP, relatively little research and development in this technology is being pursued internationally, compared to alternative green energy sources. Efforts in SBSP R&D would need to increase substantially and rapidly if it is to have a good chance of being realised in time to help accelerate our transition to Net Zero.
What is this “International Conference on Energy from Space” about?
This conference follows-on from the highly successful 1st ESA Space-based Solar Power for Net Zero 2050 Workshop that was held in Dec 2021 where more than 300 participants came together online to exchange for two half-days on the topic of SBSP for Net Zero. This time, the event is jointly hosted by the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and ESA. With an expanded participation through abstract-driven talks and engaging roundtable discussions, it aims to help cement the bridge between the space and energy sectors who are, jointly, the major stakeholders of this potentially new industry of the future, as well as bring together government decision makers and private investors to raise their awareness about this game-changing technology. The event will provide much needed visibility to all stakeholders on the extent of worldwide interest, activity and progress there is currently in SBSP development covering all relevant areas including system concepts & challenges, technologies, economics, regulations and much more. The conference also aims to increase inclusivity and diversity within this important conversation by providing opportunities for visible participation of representatives from the Global South and the younger generation.
What are ESA, UKSA and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero doing on SBSP right now?
The European Space Agency has recently started a dedicated R&D initiative on Energy from Space, called SOLARIS. The aim of SOLARIS is to technically and programmatically prepare the ground for a potential future decision in Europe on whether or not to undertake a full development programme on Space-based Solar Power in the context of the urgent energy transition to Net Zero.
Similarly, the UK Government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the UK Space Agency launched the £4.3m Space Based Solar Power (SBSP) innovation programme in July 2022 (based on funding split of £3.3 million from the Department’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio – NZIP - and £1 million from UKSA) to develop some of the key technologies critical for SBSP, which also have broader terrestrial applications and therefore can contribute to UK’s Net Zero ambition, independent from whether SBSP systems are deployed or not.
