As a participant in Soleil·s – the 2nd Solar Biennale – taking place at the mudac (Musée cantonal de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains) in Lausanne from 21 March to 21 September 2025, Astrostrom will present – Greater Earth Energy Synergies – its vision of harnessing solar energy from space.
mudac exhibition website: https://mudac.ch/en/exhibitions/solar-biennale/
Astrostrom’s exhibition will consist of a large-screen video of its program and a model of its solar power satellite demonstrator concept: the Space Option Star in Equatorial Low Earth Orbit.
Astrostrom’s vision is nothing less than the Transformation of the Fossil Fuel Age into the Space Energy Age.
Switzerland, one of the most economically productive countries in the world, faces a major challenge in securing its future energy needs. With an expected 20% increase in population by 2050, the country must transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources while maintaining energy security and meeting its legal climate obligations. Currently, 70% of Switzerland’s energy consumption comes from fossil fuels (59%) and nuclear power (11%).
As nuclear power is slated to be phased out by 2044, the critical first step to securing Switzerland’s energy future will be supplying the equivalent amount of electrical power. This represents an 11% energy challenge. Astrostrom’s recent Case Study of Switzerland’s energy future shows that meeting this challenge with terrestrial energy options will be extremely difficult and expensive.
Then, the much larger challenge of replacing fossil fuel use in Switzerland which represents 59%of Switzerland’s energy use with solar, wind and nuclear power was examined. This will be a 5 times greater challenge once the replacement of nuclear power generation has been achieved.
To meet both challenges, Astrostrom has been working with space companies, the European Space Agency (ESA) and universities and to make Space Solar Power – solar energy delivered wirelessly from space – a reality. Space Solar Power (SSP) offers a continuously available 24/7/365, inexhaustible, and sustainable source of energy by capturing solar energy in space and beaming it to Earth.
By 2040, three Solar Power Satellites could provide Switzerland with the same amount of electricity as nuclear power today. Eight Solar Power Satellites could replace fossil fuels and make Switzerland energy independent and climate neutral by 2050 with a significantly lower environmental footprint and at a lower cost when compared to terrestrial energy options.
If Switzerland wants to benefit from this game-changing energy solution, accelerated investments in research and development would need to start immediately and in doing so, Switzerland could help launch a new space energy industry that would provide enormous opportunities for innovation and economic growth at home and abroad. Investing in Space Solar Power could enable Switzerland to achieve energy independence and climate neutrality by 2050 – perhaps even becoming an energy exporting nation – and thus ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future for its citizens.
Exhibition Videos: English, French and German
4K English Version (06:01)
4K French Version (06:02)
4K German Version (6:12)
The 2nd Solar Biennale Comes to Switzerland: 21.03.2025 – 21.09.2025
From the spring equinox to the autumn equinox of 2025, mudac will host the second Solar Biennale with the exhibition Soleil·s which will take place in the Plateforme 10 arts district and on the EPFL campus.
mudac at Plateforme 10, Lausanne
The Solar Biennale takes place in a different country every two years. It involves both professionals and citizens and looks at the capacity of design to contribute to the transition to a solar future. In 2025, from the spring equinox to the autumn equinox, mudac in Lausanne will host the biennial event for its second year and will invite partners such as EPFL to take part in its programme. Bathed in creativity and informed by contemporary issues, the Solar Biennale rolls out the yellow carpet for designers, curators, activists, energy suppliers, and researchers who, in practical, aesthetic or theoretical ways, will aim to challenge the established cosmology models and show that another sun is possible.
The Solar Biennale #2 will showcase innovative ideas and practices that re-imagine our relationship with the Sun and the environment, inspiring both professionals and the public to embrace solar energy for a future less reliant on fossil fuels.
mudac exhibition website: https://mudac.ch/en/exhibitions/solar-biennale/
