Meta secures space solar power
- Meta Platforms said Monday it signed a capacity reservation with Overview Energy, securing future space-based solar power for its data centers by 2030. - The deal gives Meta early access to as much as 1 gigawatt, with an orbital demonstration planned for 2028 before commercial delivery. - The pact extends Meta’s AI power push beyond land-based renewables and batteries. (about.fb.com)
Meta said Monday it signed a deal with Overview Energy to secure up to 1 gigawatt of space-based solar power for its data centers. (about.fb.com) (reuters.com) Overview Energy plans an orbital demonstration in 2028 and targets commercial power delivery in 2030, according to the companies. Meta said the agreement reserves future capacity rather than delivering electricity immediately. (prnewswire.com) (about.fb.com) Space solar works by collecting sunlight with satellites, then sending that energy to Earth as near-infrared light aimed at ground facilities. Those facilities convert the light into electricity, letting solar sites keep producing power after sunset. (techcrunch.com) (reuters.com) Meta said the system could increase the output of existing solar farms by enabling around-the-clock generation for the grid and for its artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company announced the partnership alongside a separate long-duration storage deal with XGS Energy. (about.fb.com) The timing reflects a power squeeze around artificial intelligence data centers, which are demanding more electricity than many utilities can add quickly. TechCrunch reported Meta’s data centers used more than 18,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2024. (techcrunch.com) Meta has already committed to build 30 gigawatts of renewable power, with a heavy focus on utility-scale solar, and this agreement adds an option for nighttime supply without relying only on batteries. Reuters and Meta both described the Overview arrangement as part of a broader search for firm power for AI workloads. (reuters.com) (about.fb.com) Overview Energy is based in Ashburn, Virginia, and emerged from stealth in December, TechCrunch reported. Chief executive Marc Berte said the company is building an American-made system that can deliver clean power with flexible siting and faster deployment. (techcrunch.com) (prnewswire.com) Nat Sahlstrom, Meta’s vice president for energy and sustainability, said the partnership is meant to support the company’s AI buildout and data-center expansion in the United States. For now, the electricity is years away, but Meta has moved early to reserve it. (about.fb.com) (reuters.com)
