Meta plans to power AI data centers from space, initially locking in 1GW capacity

AIMPACT News, April 27 (UTC+8): according to Beating Monitoring, Meta announced a partnership with Overview Energy, reserving up to 1GW of space solar capacity for future AI data center power supply. Overview’s plan is to place satellites in a geosynchronous orbit about 22,000 miles above Earth, continuously bask in the sun in space, and then beam it back to ground-based solar power stations using low-intensity near-infrared beams. The power stations convert this beam into electricity like normal sunlight and feed it into the grid. In this way, after sunset, the ground power stations can theoretically continue generating electricity.

Meta is also collaborating with Noon Energy, reserving up to 1GW/100GWh of ultra-long-duration energy storage capacity. Ordinary lithium batteries are usually better suited for a few hours, but Noon’s selling point is using reversible solid oxide fuel cells and carbon-based storage to store clean power for more than 100 hours. The first 25MW/2.5GWh pilot project is scheduled to be completed in 2028.

AI data centers need to run 24 hours a day, but wind and solar power are dependent on weather and time. Meta has signed contracts for more than 30GW of clean and renewable energy and supports 7.7GW of nuclear power; space power is an earlier-stage and more adventurous supplement. Meta acknowledges that the technology is still in its early days. Overview plans to conduct an in-orbit demonstration in 2028; if it succeeds, the U.S. power grid might receive commercial power as early as 2030. (Source: BlockBeats)