Meta signs agreement for space-based solar power to deliver energy at night

Meta has entered into an agreement with Overview Energy that could enable a new approach to powering data centres, using satellites to transmit energy to Earth after sunset. The arrangement envisions a network of spacecraft delivering infrared light to solar installations, allowing them to generate electricity even at night.

The move reflects the growing demand for power driven by artificial intelligence infrastructure. In 2024, Meta’s data centres consumed more than 18,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity, roughly equivalent to the annual energy use of over 1.7 million U.S. households. As demand for computing capacity continues to rise, the company has committed to building 30 gigawatts of renewable energy, with a strong emphasis on large-scale solar facilities.

Solar-powered data centres typically rely on battery storage or supplemental generation sources to maintain operations during nighttime hours. Overview Energy is proposing an alternative system that collects solar energy in space, where sunlight is continuously available, and transmits it to Earth.

The Virginia-based startup, headquartered in Ashburn, is developing satellites designed to capture solar energy and convert it into near-infrared light. This energy would then be directed toward large ground-based solar farms — potentially operating at hundreds of megawatts — where it can be converted back into electricity.

By using a broad infrared beam rather than high-intensity lasers or microwave transmission, Overview Energy aims to address safety, regulatory, and technical concerns that have historically hindered space-based power concepts. According to CEO Marc Berte, the system is designed to be safe enough that direct exposure to the beam would not cause harm.

If successfully implemented at scale, the technology could improve the economics of solar power by increasing utilisation rates and reducing dependence on fossil fuel backup systems.

Overview: Energy has already demonstrated its technology by transmitting power from an aircraft to the ground. The company plans to launch its first satellite into low Earth orbit in January 2028, where it will conduct its initial space-based power transmission tests.

Under the agreement announced today, Meta has secured the first capacity reservation with Overview Energy, potentially receiving up to 1 gigawatt of power generated by the company’s satellite network. Financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed. Overview has also introduced a new measurement unit for the contract, called megawatt-photons, which represents the amount of light required to produce one megawatt of electricity.

Berte indicated that the company expects to begin deploying operational satellites around 2030, with plans to establish a constellation of approximately 1,000 spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit. This orbital position allows each satellite to remain fixed over a specific area on Earth. Each satellite is expected to deliver energy for more than a decade.

Once fully deployed, the system could provide coverage for roughly one-third of the planet, initially spanning from the western United States to Western Europe. As Earth rotates and solar farms move into nighttime conditions, the satellites would supplement their energy production by delivering additional light from space.

Berte emphasised that the ability to combine energy generation and transmission across multiple regions creates new flexibility, allowing power to be directed where and when it is most valuable.