Space Mirrors Enable First-Ever Night Solar Panel System
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📰 The quick summary: California startup Reflect Orbital has developed a solar panel system that works at night by using space-based reflective mirrors to direct sunlight to Earth, enabling continuous solar energy generation.
📈 One key stat: The night solar panel system achieved around 500 watts per square meter during tests with light reflected from nearly 250 meters away, demonstrating significant energy generation potential.
💬 One key quote: “I had an interesting way to solve the real issue with solar power. It’s really a great candidate to power humanity. But sunlight turns off. It’s called nighttime. If you solve that fundamental problem, you fix solar everywhere,” said Ben Nowack, CEO of the startup.
1️⃣ The big picture: California-based startup Reflect Orbital has created a revolutionary solution to solar energy’s biggest limitation – the lack of sunlight at night. Their innovative system uses satellites equipped with highly reflective Mylar mirrors positioned in space to reflect sunlight onto Earth’s solar panels after sunset. This technology marks the first time in history that solar panels can be artificially illuminated at night, effectively extending their operational hours. Users will even be able to “reserve sunlight” through an app, allowing solar farms to acquire additional nighttime lighting based on their needs.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: This breakthrough addresses solar energy’s fundamental limitation by enabling continuous power generation regardless of time of day. Extending solar power into nighttime hours reduces dependence on fossil fuels and expensive battery storage systems. Energy grids gain stability through consistent solar input, making renewable energy more reliable for widespread adoption. The ability to “reserve sunlight” creates a flexible energy marketplace that can respond to specific demands. Solar energy becomes more economically competitive against traditional energy sources as its availability expands to 24 hours.
3️⃣ What’s next: Reflect Orbital faces the challenge of precisely aligning satellites and controlling mirror positions at an altitude of 595 kilometers. The company needs to establish robust communication with ground stations to ensure system reliability. Testing must continue to verify if the reflected light intensity remains economically viable at scale over the long term.
Read the full story here: Ecoticias – Night solar panel lit for the first time in history ― America will launch it into space
