Meta signs deal for space-based solar power to run AI data centers at night

Meta has entered into a capacity reservation agreement with the startup Overview Energy to obtain up to 1 gigawatt of power transmitted from space. Overview intends to deploy a thousand satellites into geosynchronous orbit that will harness solar energy and convert it into near-infrared light, which will then be aimed at solar farms on Earth to produce electricity during nighttime. The company has successfully tested power transmission from an aircraft and plans to launch its first satellite into low Earth orbit by January 2028. CEO Marc Berte anticipates initiating satellite launches for the Meta agreement in 2030, with each satellite expected to supply power for over a decade. The initial service area will cover from the U.S. West Coast to Western Europe. Overview, based in Ashburn, Virginia, emerged from stealth mode in December and the agreement utilizes a new metric known as megawatt photons. In 2024, Meta's data centers consumed more than 18,000 gigawatt-hours, and the firm has pledged to develop 30 gigawatts of renewable energy.