Meta Platforms Inc. is tackling the immense energy demands of artificial intelligence by securing up to 1 gigawatt of power from a planned space-based solar system, a first-of-its-kind move that could reshape how the technology industry powers its data centers. The deal with Overview Energy aims to provide continuous, clean electricity to support Meta's AI infrastructure.
"Space solar technology represents a transformative step forward by leveraging existing terrestrial infrastructure to deliver new, uninterrupted energy from orbit," Nat Sahlstrom, VP of Energy and Sustainability at Meta, said in a statement. "This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to innovation – leveraging cutting-edge technology to strengthen America's energy leadership."
The agreement gives Meta early access to capacity from Overview's system, which is planned for an initial orbital demonstration in 2028 and expects to begin commercial power delivery by 2030. This is one of the largest corporate commitments to the nascent space solar industry and is part of a broader energy portfolio Meta is building to power its AI ambitions, which also includes a 1 GW/100 GWh energy storage agreement with Noon Energy.
This partnership validates a technology concept previously confined to science fiction, positioning Meta to secure a stable, round-the-clock power source that circumvents the intermittency of terrestrial solar and wind. As competitors like Amazon and Microsoft also race to expand their AI capabilities, Meta's move highlights the growing strategic importance of securing massive, reliable, and clean energy sources as a primary competitive bottleneck.
Overview Energy's model involves deploying satellites to geosynchronous orbit, more than 22,000 miles above the Earth, where they can collect sunlight continuously. This energy is then converted and beamed as low-intensity, near-infrared light to existing solar farm installations on the ground.
This allows the terrestrial assets, which would otherwise sit idle at night or on cloudy days, to generate electricity around the-clock. According to Overview, this dramatically increases the power output and utilization of existing infrastructure without requiring new land, fuel, or lengthy grid interconnection processes. The company states its beam is invisible and safe for humans, animals, and aircraft, and is being engineered to meet all U.S. regulatory and safety standards.
The deal with Overview is the latest in a series of energy agreements for Meta, which has contracted over 30 GW of clean and renewable energy to date. The company is diversifying its power sources to ensure the reliability needed for its massive data center operations.
This includes partnerships for next-generation geothermal energy with Sage Geosystems and XGS Energy, as well as significant commitments to nuclear power through agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo. By investing in a range of technologies—from established nuclear to frontier technologies like space solar—Meta is building a resilient energy foundation to support the exponential growth of AI. The success of Overview's 2028 demonstration will be a critical milestone for the viability of this new energy source.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
