Virtus Solis signs PPA to supply space-based solar power to datacenter developer Brae Systems

Two companies, Virtus Solis Technologies and Brae Systems, have signed a 20-year deal for solar power generated in space. Virtus Solis plans to build solar collectors that orbit the Earth and beam energy down to ground receivers using microwaves. Brae Systems, which builds underwater datacenters for AI computing, has agreed to buy 100 megawatts of this power, with an option to expand to 250 megawatts within three years. None of the hardware exists yet. Both companies see the contract as a step toward building out the technology, not proof it's ready.

For context on the technology: Virtus Solis wants to place its solar stations in a looping orbit that keeps them over the Northern Hemisphere for part of each day, with three stations working together to provide round-the-clock power. The ground receivers would look similar to a standard solar farm, let enough sunlight through to grow crops underneath, and could even be built using existing solar panel designs. The company hopes to launch a small test system in orbit within about two years, with a public demonstration of the microwave transmission technology planned for March 2027. The first ground receiving station, paired with a test datacenter, is planned for Illinois.

This has no direct bearing on home energy upgrades or rebates. It's a glimpse at an early-stage technology aimed at powering large industrial computing facilities, not homes. If space-based solar eventually becomes part of the regular electric grid, it could someday affect the mix of power utilities draw from, but that is years away and unrelated to any decisions homeowners face now.