The race for space solar

This is a story about solar power in space, not on your roof, but it shows where solar technology is heading. Satellites have run on solar cells for decades, and investment in that market is picking up fast. The nonprofit Space Foundation says the global space economy hit $686 billion in 2025, growing 12% a year, and $28.7 billion in private money flowed into space companies in April 2026 alone. One deal: Denver's York Space Systems bought space-solar maker Solestial for $67 million.

Two solar technologies are competing for this market. Older satellites use expensive gallium arsenide cells, which handle radiation well but are hard to produce in volume. Newer satellite fleets in low orbit, like Starlink, don't need to last as long or survive as much radiation, so cheaper crystalline-silicon cells (similar to what's likely on your own roof) are becoming more attractive, especially as rocket launch costs drop. Perovskite solar cells, an emerging technology also being developed for home use, are getting attention too, promising high efficiency at lower cost, though they still need to prove they can hold up over time.

The U.S. Department of Energy has opened a $12 million grant program to fund research into space solar manufacturing, with applications open until October 8. None of this changes what's available for home solar or rebates right now, but it points to the same materials, silicon and perovskite cells, that could eventually show up in home solar products as the technology matures.