Reflect Orbital plans to sell sunlight at night with satellite mirrors
A California-based startup, Reflect Orbital, has announced an innovative plan that could significantly improve global energy consumption by providing sunlight after sunset. The company, led by CEO Ben Nowack, plans to redirect sunlight to Earth’s solar panels at night, effectively “selling sunlight” on demand. Nowack introduced the innovative initiative at the International Conference on Energy from Space, held in London in April.
Reflect Orbital’s approach addresses a major limitation of solar energy: the inability to generate power after sunset. The company is “developing a constellation of revolutionary satellites to sell sunlight to thousands of solar farms after sunset,” Nowack explained in a after on X (formerly known as Twitter). The company essentially wants to power solar farms with sunlight reflected off satellites, giving them more power even after the sun has set.
The vision behind Reflect Orbital
Nowack’s vision is to improve global energy production by tapping the untapped potential of solar power outside of daylight hours. The startup’s plan involves launching 57 small satellites, each equipped with 33-square-foot ultra-reflective mylar mirrors, into orbit. These mirrors are designed to reflect sunlight back to Earth, specifically targeting solar farms during peak demand times.
According to Nowack, this technology could give solar power plants an extra 30 minutes of sunlight, which could provide a significant boost during periods of high energy consumption.
The testing phase and technological innovations
The Reflect Orbital team, including Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Tri Semmelhack, has already put their concept to the test. They attached an eight-by-eight-foot mylar mirror to a hot air balloon, which reflected sunlight onto solar panels that were trucked to the site, as demonstrated in a recent X after. This reflected light generated an impressive output of approximately 500 watts of energy per square meter of panel. Mylar mirrors are unique in that they are made without glass, instead utilizing polyester film stretched over a raised aluminum frame.
The team’s field tests demonstrated the feasibility of their concept, and they shared their findings in a YouTube video released in March. After weeks of fine-tuning, they successfully bounced light off the mirror onto the solar panels from a distance of 242 meters (nearly 800 feet).
Looking Ahead: The Future of Solar Energy
Reflect Orbital plans to launch its orbital mirror in 2025, with the goal of providing solar power on demand, even after sunset. The company has already received more than 30,000 inquiries from interested parties eager to “request sunlight” in the coming months. With the cost of spaceflight falling, Nowack and Semmelhack are confident that their venture will not only be feasible, but profitable.
Reflect Orbital’s ambitious project could significantly change the way solar energy is harnessed, making it a viable option for 24/7 power generation.
