Virtus Solis signs 20-year space-based solar power deal with Brae Systems
Virtus Solis · Brae Systems
Virtus Solis signed a 20-year PPA to supply Brae Systems' underwater datacenters with 100 MW of space-based solar power.
what happened
Virtus Solis Technologies and Brae Systems announced Oct. 1 a 20-year power purchase agreement under which Virtus Solis will supply 100 MW of orbital solar power, delivering 876,000 MWh annually, to Brae's planned underwater datacenters; Brae holds an option to expand the deal to 250 MW within three years of commercial operations. Virtus Solis, which is developing space-based solar generation and power-beaming stations in Molniya orbit, says it plans a 100-kilowatt pilot deployment within 24 months and a public microwave-transmission demonstration in March 2027. CEO John Bucknell said first power is expected around 2030, which is also when Brae plans to launch its first megawatt-scale underwater datacenter.
why it matters
The companies describe this as the first commercial PPA for space-based solar power. Latitude Media's independent analysis noted the deal is largely symbolic for now, since it depends on unproven technology, prior wireless power-transfer demonstrations have reached only about 4% efficiency, reaching commercial viability within four years, and that a 2009 PG&E-Solaren space-solar PPA was cancelled in 2015 after its backer failed to secure financing. For AI datacenter developers chasing power at any cost, it is still a signal that orbital power generation is being treated as a biddable energy source rather than only a research program.
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- Virtus Solis, Brae Systems
- Category
- contract
- Impact
- major
- SNR
- 4 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-10-01
- Published
- 2026-10-02 13:33 UTC