A start-up is one step closer to its lofty goal of beaming energy in space directly from the sun 24/7.
Interesting Engineering reported on Overview Energy demonstrating the technology by beaming energy from a moving aircraft to solar panels on the ground using lasers. The trial featured a moving aircraft at an elevation of 5,000 meters (about 16,404 feet). It successfully and wirelessly sent the power down to the ground in Pennsylvania.
"Not only is it the first optical power beaming from a moving platform at any substantial range or power, but also it's the first time anyone's really done a power beaming thing where it's all of the functional pieces all working together," Overview CEO Marc Berte told IEEE Spectrum.
The company's long-term vision involves satellites, positioned 22,000 miles above Earth, constantly directing solar energy to the planet. The startup is supported by $20 million in funding from the Aurelia Institute and others.
One important aspect is that the energy would go to existing solar infrastructure like solar farms. That would save money by not having to construct new ground stations, and the act would give solar farms energy at night.
Overview also said the tech will be safer than other approaches because it employs lower-density beams.
Overview isn't alone in this space. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency successfully transmitted power with a laser beam in May 2025. Overview doing the same with a moving aircraft advances on that achievement.
Overview's progress is encouraging as much of the world seeks to move away from finite, polluting energy sources like oil and gas. Wind and solar energy are flourishing alternatives, but they do face limitations when it comes to being always-on.
Nuclear fusion, which replicates how the sun generates heat, is another promising area of research and innovation. Overview's vision is another path, ideally transporting the power of the sun to Earth at all times.
Overview's next goal is to lift satellites to low Earth orbit by 2028 with a prototype demonstrator. If that goes well, the startup aims to have satellites beaming solar energy to Earth by 2030.
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Yes — it'll pay off 👍 As IEEE Spectrum explained, challenges abound like the cost of power stations and satellites, and avoiding orbital debris. Still, this demonstration is a step in the right direction.
"It's the same methodology and function that we will take to space and scale up in the long term," Berte concluded.
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