Meanwhile in Japan

 

Japan just beamed solar power from space to Earth for the first time in history.

Japan's OHISAMA project successfully launched a satellite equipped with solar panels that collect energy in space and transmit it wirelessly to the ground.
The satellite converts captured solar energy into microwaves and beams it directly to a receiver station on Earth.

The first successful transmission happened in late 2025, marking a major breakthrough in space-based solar power technology.

Unlike ground-based solar panels, the satellite collects energy continuously without interference from weather, nighttime, or atmospheric conditions.

Japanese scientists say space-based solar could eventually provide constant clean energy regardless of location or time of day.

The technology addresses one of renewable energy's biggest weaknesses, the inability to generate power around the clock.

If scaled up, Japan could deploy multiple satellites to create a stable energy grid independent of fossil fuels or traditional infrastructure.

Experts note this positions Japan as the first nation to prove wireless power transmission from orbit actually works at a practical level.

Critics warn the cost and complexity of deploying such systems at scale remain massive obstacles.

Yet the successful test gives Japan a head start in a technology that could reshape how the world thinks about energy independence.