Spring Forward Ep.5: Space based solar power NetZero Initiative

World’s leading space and energy industry experts; Martin Soltau, Joint Chair Satellite Applications Catapult / Frazer Nash, Dr Alice Bunn, CEO IMechE, and Nick Wayth, Chief Executive, Energy Institute, will join Moderator Andrew Grill, The Actionable Futurist to debate the innovative opportunity for cutting-edge solar power delivered from space to meet the NetZero agenda .

OVERVIEW

In the fifth of our Spring Forward, hybrid webinar + in-person series, we continue to examine how Engineers go beyond the theory and go back to first principles to meet, head-on, the current challenges of climate and sustainability. As we rebuild after the recent re-set, forced by the coronavirus, building back better is a mantra which requires us to consider the likely sources of sustainable energy ahead. Today, in the wreckage of the coronavirus fallout we have a licence to be bullish to kick-start activities to take us to NetZero and meet some very ambitious targets being set by the world’s governments.

Much has been said about the Oxford – Cambridge (innovation) triangle with The City of London at its centre. Its ambitions to engage with The Indo-Pacific growth markets will rely on a geostrategic Australian beach-head under the Australia – UK Free Trade Agreement. These are inspiring times as Engineers from Australia and The United Kingdom seek to work together on a highly transformative agenda and this Satellite / Solar Tech initiative is just one example of what can be achieved

As the world gets back up to speed, Engineers have an opportunity to inspire courageous innovation at a time when we need to clean up the world to become a better place again.

Almost a century ago The Institution of Engineers, Australia was granted a Royal Charter to deliver world leading excellence across the Engineering profession. A close friendship was forged with The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and this has been central to joint efforts to deliver innovative and inspiring solutions to the world’s challenges. One Birdcage Walk has been the very impressive Westminster home and centre of excellence for the IMechE for 175 years.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The opportunity for generating power from space

• How to overcome challenges in commercialising this technology

• The engineering challenges have been overcome to offer this as a solution now and not before

• How space-based solar power contributes to the net-zero debate

• How the Australia-UK Free trade agreement help both countries lead the way in space projects

• The future for space-based solar power generation