Picture sitting on a beach in Dubai in the middle of the night as a cool breeze sways – but in natural sunlight. Ben Nowack, CEO and co-founder of California tech start-up Reflect Orbital, says this could soon be possible here in the UAE.
The entrepreneur has developed a technology that can send mirrors into space to reflect rays from the Sun back to Earth.
How would this work?
Reflect Orbital plans to launch a constellation of satellites equipped with expansive mirrors into Earth's orbit. These mirrors would reflect sunlight on to specific areas of the planet after sunset, providing solar power, even when the sun goes down.
The company plans to offer this service to solar farms, enabling them to generate electricity during periods when traditional solar energy is unavailable. Each beam would light up an area about 5km in diameter, or about the size of Palm Jumeirah.
"When you're in the spot, it's going to be bright but when you're outside of the spot, you'll just see the light on the ground, unless you're looking directly at the satellite and purpose," said Mr Nowack.
A timeline for launch is yet to be announced, but Mr Nowack told The National that it could be as early as the beginning of next year. After that, launches will happen rapidly.
"We'll go from one satellite to 100 quite quickly, and then from 100 to 1,000 pretty quickly. And then, after that, I think it'll be even faster," he said. "When you start scaling up for energy, you start wanting to place orders for several thousand satellites at once."
Mr Nowack, a former SpaceX intern, added that the project has the backing of Elon Musk's firm. "We're not building rockets. SpaceX handles that. They will launch our satellites. We go into orbit, and then we sell the sunlight to crossovers."
On a mission to create continuous solar
Solar, Mr Nowack says, is the natural choice when it comes to the future of clean energy. "Every second, the Sun makes 5,000 times more energy than humanity has ever consumed, and we're so good at building solar farms," he said.
In September, Reflect Orbital announced the conclusion of its $6.5 million seed round, led by Sequoia Capital, with participation from Starship Ventures.
The main use for this technology is to provide solar energy to solar farms during the night, thereby increasing their energy output and efficiency. However, speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai this week, Mr Nowack shared that there are other uses, such as street lighting, agricultural purposes, mining and construction.
"A lot of people will also use this to curb seasonal depression. We got a lot of applications from Scandinavia," said Mr Nowack. "If you are in a valley and it's winter time, you're not getting very much daylight, so you spend a lot of time in the darkness, and people struggle with depression."
Seasonal applications could extend to the Middle East, lighting up areas at night during the summer. "People will often leave in the summer because it's too hot. So with our technology, we can light up an area at night when it's cooler."
Driving the solar market
In January, the UAE launched what it called the “world’s first” facility that can provide renewable energy at scale around the clock.
The $6 billion project, led by Abu Dhabi clean energy company Masdar, will integrate 5 gigawatts of solar capacity with 19 gigawatt hours of battery storage to generate 1 gigawatt of "uninterrupted clean power".
“For decades, the biggest barrier facing renewable energy has been intermittency,” Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said. “It has been the moon shot challenge of our time. How can we power a world that never sleeps with energy sources that do? This will, for the first time ever, transform renewable energy into baseload energy. It is a first step that could become a giant leap.”
The UAE is already home to a variety of solar-powered projects, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is set to become the world's largest single-site solar park with a projected production capacity of 5,000MW by 2030.
The Al Dhafra Solar Power Plant in Abu Dhabi powers around 200,000 homes and is expected to reduce the emirate's carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.4 million tonnes annually – roughly the same as removing 470,000 cars from the roads.
At an energy event in November, energy minister Suhail Al Mazrouei said the country, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, will initiate “one or two” solar farms a year until the end of the decade.
History of space mirrors
Research into space mirrors, solar sails, and harnessing solar space energy dates back to the mid-20th century.
A Nasa document published in 1980 refers to "hardware characteristics and applications opportunities of large orbital mirrors" under the space agency's Solares programme. The report describes the deployment of thin film-covered structures that offer value to "terrestrial solar-energy systems".
The plans were for Solares unites to be sent to space "assuming Space Shuttle availability", delivering "high-intensity insolation" sun light. The programme did not take off.
In 1993, however, Russia's Znamya project took flight. Lead engineer, Vladimir Syromyatnikov, constructed a 65-foot-wide sheet of Mylar, a type of stretched reflective film, that could be unfurled from a central mechanism and launched from the Mir space station.
While the Znamya launch in 1993 was hailed a success, further projects did not fully materialise. The BBC reported in 1998 that complaints and concerns were raised from astronomers who were worried about the impacts light pollution might have on the night sky, as well as ecologists concerned about the impacts of artificial light on wildlife and natural cycles.
How solar activity influences the Earth – in pictures
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)
Saturday
Monaco v Caen (7pm)
Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
Nantes v Guingamp (10pm)
Rennes v Lille (10pm)
Sunday
Nice v Strasbourg (5pm)
Troyes v Lyon (7pm)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (11pm)
more from Janine di Giovanni
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
