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 — See all updates

This publication was withdrawn on

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 (22 September 2022)

HTML

Presentation to stakeholders held on 30 March 2022 led by Frazer-Nash Consultancy

https://www.fnc.co.uk/media/vmqlqv4j/space-based-solar-power-presentation.pdf

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

Funding is 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.

Published 20 July 2022
Last updated 14 June 2023 + show all updates

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

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

  3. Published response to question received (6 September 2022).

  4. Published responses to questions received (26 August 2022).

  5. First published.

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