This California-Based Startup Plans to Offer…Sunlight On Demand?
A California-based startup, Reflect Orbital, has unveiled ambitious plans to launch a constellation of orbiting mirrors designed to extend solar power production beyond daylight hours. The company aims to deploy 57 small satellites in sun-synchronous polar orbit, each equipped with mylar mirrors measuring 33 feet square.
Reflect Orbital’s CEO, Ben Nowack, presented the concept at the recent International Conference on Energy from Space. The satellites, orbiting at an altitude of 370 miles, would provide an additional 30 minutes of sunshine to solar power plants during peak demand times, potentially solving a critical challenge in renewable energy production.
“The problem is that solar energy is not available when we actually want it,” Nowack explained. The company’s solution could allow solar farms to generate electricity and charge higher prices before sunrise and after sunset.
While solar power has become increasingly cost-effective and efficient, its intermittent nature remains a significant hurdle. Reflect Orbital’s technology aims to address this issue, particularly for meeting energy demands during unfavorable weather conditions.
The company has already conducted successful tests using a hot air balloon, generating “500 watts of energy per square meter” of solar panel. Plans are underway to launch a prototype satellite next year.
However, the concept of orbiting mirrors is not without precedent or controversy. Russia experimented with similar technology in the 1990s, and other research teams, such as the University of Glasgow’s SOLSPACE project, are exploring comparable ideas.
Concerns have been raised about potential light pollution affecting astronomical observations. Andrew Williams of the European Southern Observatory cautioned that such satellites could outshine the brightest stars if not carefully designed.
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