No need to travel to the arctic poles anymore if you want to experience the midnight sun, a California-based startup aims to give users the possibility of having 24/7 access to the sun. A move which could revolutionize the solar energy industry. 

According to 'Reflect Orbital', the company behind this visionary idea, the sun's light contains 24 trillion times more energy than humanity currently uses. Their goal is to harness this energy more efficiently and consistently by using satellite-mounted mirrors to redirect sunlight back to Earth, even after sunset.

The concept involves satellites in sun-synchronous orbit forming rings that track the terminator (the line dividing night and day) delivering additional sunlight just before dawn and after dusk. With climate conferences yielding insufficient agreements and the goal of net zero by 2050 seeming increasingly out of reach, innovative technologies like this may be the only viable path to achieving the Paris Agreement’s ambitions.

However, Reflect Orbital has faced skepticism, with critics questioning the feasibility of their project. Despite this, numerous academic papers from reputable institutions have researched orbital solar reflectors as alternatives to energy storage, lending credibility to the company’s efforts to bring this concept to life.

In addition to powering solar grids, the company also aims to offer sunlight access to individuals. Earlier this year, they invited people to apply for four-minute sunlight sessions, expected to be delivered by the end of 2025. Unfortunately, the application process is now closed.

Beaming sunlight from space may not quite be Star Trek-level technology, but it’s undoubtedly a step toward a sci-fi future.