Working with a self-imposed deadline of January 2028, Overview Energy is working on a constellation of satellites in geosynchronous orbit where solar panels would harvest sunlight to be sent to earth using infrared laser beams. The light, not visible to the human eye, would be guided by beacons to solar farms wherever the need is greatest at any given time. The promise of this technology has already inspired an agreement between Overview and Meta so that Meta's data centers can become a major consumer. Overview executives believe the technology would ultimately support a system that could lower electricity prices without compromising safety or health on earth.
Skeptics question the economics of the project, noting that the satellites alone - each the size of two football fields - makes the cost untenable. Others question the reality of this level of wireless transmission of power.
Overview Energy is also not the only one in a crowded field. There are numerous such young companies formed to meet the challenge of harvesting the sun amid the proliferation of data centers and other potential consumers. Some projects are studying the feasibility of microwave beams instead.
