Meta to Power Data Centers With Space-Based Solar by 2030

Imagine solar panels that never stop working because the sun never sets on them. That's exactly what Meta just signed up for with Overview Energy, a startup preparing to beam clean electricity from orbit straight to Earth.

Overview Energy announced a deal to provide up to one gigawatt of power for Meta's data centers starting as soon as 2030. The company will collect solar energy in space and transmit it to ground-based solar farms using infrared lasers, letting those facilities generate electricity even at night.

The timing couldn't be better. Tech companies are scrambling to power the massive data centers needed for artificial intelligence applications. Those facilities consume staggering amounts of electricity, and traditional power sources can't always keep up with demand.

"Space solar technology represents a transformative step forward by leveraging existing terrestrial infrastructure to deliver new, uninterrupted energy from orbit," said Nat Sahlstrom, Meta's vice president of energy and sustainability. The company is diversifying its energy sources with geothermal, nuclear, and now orbital solar power.

Overview emerged from stealth last December after successfully demonstrating the core technologies needed to make space-based solar work. The company plans an in-space demonstration in 2028, with commercial service launching two years later if all goes well.

The Bright Side

This approach solves multiple problems at once. Unlike some proposals to move entire data centers into space, Overview's system uses existing solar farms on the ground. That means less complexity, lower costs, and faster deployment.

The environmental benefits go even further. Space-based solar produces zero emissions and doesn't compete for land with agriculture or housing. It provides consistent, predictable power without depending on weather or time of day.

Industry experts are taking notice. "This approach makes more sense to me: beaming the power to existing solar facilities on the ground, so they can generate electricity even after the sun goes down," said Micah Walter-Range, president of consulting firm Caelus Partners.

Meta isn't putting all its eggs in one basket. The company also announced a separate deal with battery startup Noon Energy for 100 gigawatt-hours of energy storage. Together, these agreements show how seriously tech companies are taking their clean energy commitments.

Other companies have proposed launching millions of satellites to create orbital data centers that tap into continuous solar power. But Overview's approach of keeping data processing on Earth while sourcing power from space appears simpler and more practical.

The one-gigawatt agreement represents enough electricity to power roughly 750,000 homes. For Meta, it's a way to grow AI capabilities without increasing environmental impact or straining local power grids.

Clean energy from space that works 24/7 might sound like science fiction, but it's closer than you think.