Meta Signs Deal to Beam Solar Energy from Space to AI Data Centers
April 27, 2026 - 12:44 pm
Overview’s satellites will collect sunlight continuously in geosynchronous orbit and beam it as near-infrared light to existing ground solar installations, which convert it to electricity. This approach extends solar farm output through the night without new land, grid connections, or infrastructure on the ground.
Meta has signed an agreement with Overview Energy, a space solar startup, to secure up to 1 gigawatt of power from satellites that collect solar energy in orbit and beam it back to Earth as near-infrared light. An initial orbital demonstration is planned for January 2028; commercial power delivery is expected by 2030. Financial terms were not disclosed.
This deal represents the first commercial capacity reservation for space-based solar energy, marking a significant endorsement of a technology once considered speculative engineering.
Addressing AI Infrastructure's Operational Constraint
The core challenge this deal aims to solve is the constant power demand of Meta’s data centers, which require electricity around the clock. While wind and solar energy are renewable sources, they are inherently intermittent.
Meta’s data centers consumed over 18,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 alone, equivalent to powering approximately 1.7 million American households for a year. With the expansion of its AI compute footprint, including the Hyperion campus in Louisiana and Prometheus in Ohio, powered by nuclear energy, Meta’s power demand will significantly increase.
The company's goal is to reach 30 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity. However, battery storage at data center scale is costly and land-intensive, while nuclear energy faces lengthy regulatory approval processes. Space solar offers a third viable solution.
Overview Energy's Innovative Approach
Overview’s design differs from earlier space solar concepts that utilized lasers or microwaves to transmit power. These methods encounter substantial technical, safety, and regulatory hurdles, including the need for specialized receiving stations and aviation safety concerns.
Instead, Overview uses a broad, low-intensity near-infrared beam, invisible to the naked eye, aimed directly at existing utility-scale solar farms. This beam effectively extends the farm’s operational hours into the evening and night without requiring new infrastructure or grid connections. The satellite’s existing photovoltaic infrastructure converts the near-infrared light into electricity, mirroring the process of sunlight conversion.