From Green Promise to Eyes in the Sky: The Unexpected Rebirth of Solar Plants.
It seemed like a done deal: a promising technology that couldn’t compete with the falling prices of photovoltaic panels. However, a project in the United States proposes an unexpected twist. They could go from generating electricity to protecting the planet… or monitoring space.
The decline of an energy promise
For years, they were the great hope of renewable energy. Based on huge fields of heliostats – mirrors that follow the path of the sun and concentrate its light at a point to generate heat and electricity – they seemed destined to lead the energy transition. But the numbers tell a different story: in 2023, 345 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic energy were added worldwide, while only 0.3 GW was barely added. With projects stalled and many installations unused, it seemed like the chapter was closed.
An unexpected use for planetary defense
In the midst of this decline, they have found an unexpected opportunity. John Sandusky, one of the researchers, proposes to convert the heliostats into a system for detecting objects near Earth. “These fields are not in use at night. They could help find asteroids at a relatively low cost,” he explains.
The idea is simple but ambitious: to take advantage of the heliostats’ ability to concentrate light and measure objects moving near the stars. Unlike traditional telescopes, expensive and limited in number, this technique could expand space surveillance without requiring new astronomical infrastructure.
Beyond asteroids: an ally for the Space Force
Although the research is in its early stages, its applications could go further, tracking objects and ships in orbits close to the Moon. In a context where planetary defense and space security are gaining importance, solar thermal technology could have a second chance, far from its original function, but with a potentially historic impact.
