--- title: "Borrowing Light from Space: Meta Signs 1 GW Agreement to Power AI Data Centers with Space-Based Solar" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/284206104.md" description: "Meta has signed a priority rights agreement with Overview Energy for up to 1 GW of space-based solar power, a scale comparable to a nuclear power plant, with commercial operations targeted for 2030. This marks one of the largest energy procurement agreements signed by a tech company in the space-based solar sector to date" datetime: "2026-04-27T11:33:29.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/284206104.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/284206104.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/284206104.md) --- # Borrowing Light from Space: Meta Signs 1 GW Agreement to Power AI Data Centers with Space-Based Solar Meta is looking beyond Earth's atmosphere to secure new sources of clean energy for its artificial intelligence data centers. On Monday, Meta announced an agreement with space-based solar startup Overview Energy to **secure priority rights to up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of space-based solar power—a capacity roughly equivalent to the output of a nuclear reactor. The two parties expect commercial power supply to begin in 2030**. **This is one of the largest energy procurement agreements signed by a tech company in the space-based solar sector to date.** Nat Sahlstrom, Meta's Vice President of Energy and Sustainability, stated in a press release that space-based solar technology represents a transformative advancement, capable of delivering "uninterrupted energy" from orbit using existing ground infrastructure. This agreement is part of Meta's tens-of-billions-of-dollars investment plan in AI infrastructure and reflects the strategic intent of tech giants to accelerate the diversification of energy supplies amid surging electricity demand. ## Technology Still in Verification Phase; Commercial Deployment Years Away Headquartered in Northern Virginia, Overview Energy's core concept involves deploying solar collection devices on satellites in Earth's orbit. These satellites would continuously collect solar energy in space and wirelessly transmit it to ground-based receiving facilities, thereby achieving round-the-clock, uninterrupted power supply. However, this vision remains in the technology development and testing phase. **Overview Energy plans to complete its first orbital demonstration in 2028, with commercial power supply expected to launch in 2030.** Neither party disclosed specific financial terms of the agreement, but Meta stated that the deal grants it priority access to Overview Energy's future production capacity. The potential advantage of space-based solar lies in the fact that the sun never sets in orbit. Unaffected by weather, day-night cycles, or seasonal changes, it can compensate for the inherent intermittency of ground-based photovoltaic power generation. ## AI Arms Race Drives Up Electricity Demand as Meta Diversifies Energy Portfolio Behind this agreement lies the massive electricity gap created by Meta's continued scaling of AI infrastructure. With the explosive growth of AI applications, electricity demand from data centers has surged sharply, placing significant strain on the existing U.S. power grid. Meta is currently building gigawatt-scale data centers across various locations in the United States, including a large campus in rural Louisiana. Former President Trump once stated that the project cost $50 billion and covered an area comparable to a significant portion of Manhattan. According to Reuters, to support the operation of this largest AI data center campus, Meta is backing the construction of 10 new natural gas power plants. Natural gas remains its most relied-upon energy source due to its superior supply stability compared to some clean energy alternatives. Meanwhile, Meta is actively expanding its nuclear energy footprint, having established partnerships with companies such as Vistra, Oklo, and TerraPower, positioning itself among the leading corporate buyers of nuclear power globally. This latest agreement with Overview Energy further extends its energy portfolio into space. ## Tech Giants Compete to Explore Space Energy, Heating Up the Sector Meta is not the only tech company looking to space to solve data center energy challenges. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have previously discussed the possibility of deploying computing facilities directly in orbit. For investors, the significance of this agreement is largely symbolic: tech giants are locking in long-term energy supplies with unprecedented intensity and breadth, advancing on multiple fronts from traditional fossil fuels and nuclear energy to pre-commercial space-based solar. Whether Overview Energy can complete its orbital demonstration in 2028 and achieve commercial delivery as scheduled in 2030 will be a key milestone in testing the feasibility of this emerging sector. ### Related Stocks - [META.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/META.US.md) - [FBL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/FBL.US.md) - [METU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/METU.US.md) - [VST.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VST.US.md) - [OKLO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/OKLO.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [Zuckerberg is following Musk's lead with this 'transformative step' in outer space](https://longbridge.com/en/news/284228248.md) - [Meta to collect solar power from space](https://longbridge.com/en/news/284230066.md) - [Meta stock could surge if this AI flywheel starts spinning](https://longbridge.com/en/news/283542501.md) - [Meta’s loss is Thinking Machines gain](https://longbridge.com/en/news/284053848.md) - [Meta will now allow parents to see the topics their child discussed with Meta AI](https://longbridge.com/en/news/283816465.md)