[dotnet00]

The idea is to be more efficient with harvesting it into electricity and beaming it down in wavelengths less absorbed by the atmosphere.

It also allows for power production without weather getting in the way. So in some hypothetical space solar based future, a rainy region might still be able to rely on solar by having energy beamed down to a farther out station.

Although yeah, there's so much room down here to place panels that doing it from space is probably not economically worthwhile just yet.

[Chris2048]

Also, sunlight intercepted outside of earths footprint (e.g. further ahead, or behind, earths orbit around the sun) will receive/redirect light that otherwise wouldn't reach us.