The idea of putting solar panels in space and beaming the energy to Earth was originally proposed in 1968.
The concept, envisaged by American aerospace engineer Peter Glaser, proved technologically and economically impossible.
Now, space-based solar power is being actively pursued by China, India, Japan, Russia, the US and the UK, and according to a study by King’s College London, has the potential to play a game-changing role in the drive to net zero.
Space-based solar panels could enable power to be harvested continuously instead of only when sunlight reaches Earth, a study published in Joule found. Researchers suggested it could reduce Europe’s need for Earth-based wind and solar by 80 per cent and could cut the cost of the continent’s total energy grid system by seven per cent to 15 per cent – an equivalent saving of about €36 billion ($42 billion) a year.
However, that hinges on the rapid development of two Nasa-designed technologies.
“In space, you potentially have the ability to position solar panels to always face the sun, which means power generation can be nearly continuous compared to the daily pattern on Earth,” said senior author and engineer Prof Wei He of King’s College London. “And, because it’s in space, the solar radiation is higher than on the Earth's surface.
“We're currently at a stage to transfer this blue-sky idea into testing at a large scale, and to begin discussing regulation and policymaking.
“Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 is going to require a significant shift to renewable energy, and this emerging technology could play a pivotal role in that transition.”
Solar energy gathered in space is less likely to be affected by cloud cover and is safe from natural disasters such as flooding and earthquakes, which infrastructure on Earth is vulnerable to.
The panels would work much like communications satellites – orbiting Earth, rotating to optimally catch the sun’s rays, then beaming the energy to receiving stations in the form of microwaves, which could then be converted to electricity and fed into the existing grid infrastructure.
Prof He’s team estimated the annual costs and energy-harvesting potential for two space-based solar power designs from Nasa – the Innovative Heliostat Swarm and the Mature Planar Array.
The heliostat design is in the early stages of development but has higher potential to continuously capture solar energy, whereas the simpler planar array is closer to being technologically ready. However, the latter can only capture solar energy about 60 per cent of the time, but this still a big increase from the 15-30 per cent efficiency of standard Earth-based solar panels.
Prof He told The National the success of the two projects comes down to how quickly they can reduce the cost of producing energy while improving performance, which is “highly uncertain”.
However, he said he was “optimistic” it could be achieved “with a disciplined plan and clear check points” so improvements could be measured.
He said there were three strands which had moved the idea from a “thought experiment” in the 1960s to a testable path: rising PV performance (converting sunlight into electricity) and radiation-tolerant technologies; real wireless-power demonstrations – including Caltech’s recent low-power orbit-to-Earth beaming test; and costs being driven by industry through reusable launches and high-volume satellite manufacturing.
His team estimated the heliostat design was capable of offsetting 80 per cent of wind and solar, but to be cost-effective, its annual costs would need to decrease dramatically.
“We recommend a co-ordinated development strategy that combines and leverages both technologies to achieve better performance,” said Prof He.
“By first focusing on the more mature planar design, we can demonstrate and refine space-based solar power technologies while concurrently accelerating [research and development] for designs with more continuous power generation.”
The researchers note that many technological breakthroughs are needed before space-based solar power can be implemented.
Who was Peter Glasner?
- Dr Peter Glaser was a Czech-born space tech pioneer who moved to the United States in 1948 where he studied mechanical engineering at Columbia.
- He is best known as the inventor of the Solar Power Satellite, a concept which he presented in the journal Science in 1968 under the title Power from the Sun: Its Future.
- Five years later, he was granted a US patent to supply power from space, however the satellite system was considered too large to launch economically from Earth.
- It was suggested it could be constructed in space, using lunar and asteroid materials, but it was never put into practice.
- Dr Glaser was project manager for the Apollo 11 Laser Ranging Retroflecter Array, which was installed on the moon in 1969.
- He served on several Nasa committees and was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 1996.
- He died in 2014, aged 87.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%20and%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20power%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20700hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20torque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20720Nm%20at%202%2C250rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E0-100km%2Fh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.0sec%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330kph%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1.14%20million%20(%24311%2C000)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
Prophets of Rage
(Fantasy Records)
More on Quran memorisation:
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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