Notice

Space Based Solar Power Innovation Competition (closed to applications)

This competition provides grant support to projects to develop technologies, energy systems and mission architecture needed for space based solar power.

• From: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
• Published: 20 July 2022
• Last updated: 14 June 2023
  Show all updates

  1. 14 June 2023

     Link added to list of projects awarded funding under this competition.

  2. 22 September 2022

     Deadline for applications has been extended from 23 September to 27 September 2022. Clarification questions updated.

  3. 6 September 2022

     Published response to question received (6 September 2022).

  4. 26 August 2022

     Published responses to questions received (26 August 2022).

  5. 20 July 2022

     First published.

This publication was withdrawn on 14 June 2023

This competition is now closed. See details of the funding that was awarded.

Documents

Space Based Solar Power Innovation Competition: successful projects

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-based-solar-power-innovation-competition-successful-projects

Space Based Solar Power Innovation Competition guidance

PDF, 1.36 MB, 62 pages

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Clarification questions and responses

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Details

Space Based Solar Power (SBSP) is the concept of collecting solar power in a high earth orbit and beaming it securely to a fixed point on the earth. It could deliver clean baseload energy day and night throughout the year. A recently published independent report Space based solar power: de-risking the pathway to net zero found SBSP to be technically feasible, potentially economically competitive and aligned with UK government priorities.

This competition provided up to £3 million with potential for an additional amount of up to £3 million in grants to fund innovation in SBSP. It supported technologies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 1 to 6 at the start of the project.

Funding was divided into 4 lots:

• wireless power transmission
• high concentration solar PV
• SBSP energy systems engineering
• SBSP space mission architecture feasibility studies

The competition was funded jointly by the UK Space Agency and the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) under the Energy Research and Disruptive Technologies theme.