Meta taps space-based solar power for ai centers

Meta is betting big on artificial intelligence, and to power its ambitious plans, the tech giant is looking to the stars. In a groundbreaking deal, the company has acquired 1 gigawatt of space-based solar power from emerging startup Overview Energy.

Space solar to fuel meta's ai ambitions

The California-based tech firm sees space-based solar as a reliable, clean energy source to power its rapidly expanding AI centers. According to Meta, the energy generated from satellites orbiting the Earth will provide constant, uninterrupted power, unlike terrestrial solar panels whose output varies with climate and daylight hours.

Meta is not alone in its pursuit of space-based energy solutions for data centers. The likes of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have also floated the idea of orbiting servers, albeit in a more literal sense. But Meta's ambitious plans for AI take center stage in its latest move.

As part of a massive investment in AI infrastructure, Meta is building a new 10-gigawatt data center in rural Louisiana. The facility will be powered by a fleet of 10 natural gas-fired power plants, a move seen as more reliable than cleaner energy sources due to its constant supply. However, the company's reliance on fossil fuels has raised environmental concerns.

Overview Energy's pioneering Technology aims to capture solar energy in orbit and beam it back to Earth as electricity, providing a clean and constant energy supply. The startup plans to demonstrate its Technology in an initial orbital test by 2028, with commercial availability expected by 2030. The deal with Meta grants the company priority access to Overview's future capacity.