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<keyword id="22948419" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reflect-Orbital" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reflect Orbital" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reflect Orbital">Reflect Orbital</keyword>, a California-based startup, has set its sights on a futuristic goal: providing "<keyword id="22948420" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="sunlight-on-demand" source="keywords">sunlight on demand</keyword>" using orbiting mirrors in space. The company's vision is to address one of the biggest challenges in <keyword id="19915217" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-energy" source="keywords">solar energy</keyword> — the inability to generate power after sunset or during cloudy days — by using a fleet of <keyword id="20279522" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-satellites" source="keywords">small satellites</keyword> equipped with highly reflective <keyword id="22948421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mylar-mirrors" source="keywords">Mylar mirrors</keyword>. <h3 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">How the technology works</h3>Reflect Orbital plans to deploy 57 small satellites into low-Earth orbit. Each satellite will be outfitted with a 33-square-foot reflective Mylar mirror. These mirrors are designed to reflect sunlight down to Earth, targeting <keyword id="20658734" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-farms" source="keywords">solar farms</keyword> and extending their operational hours by providing an extra 30 minutes of sunlight after sunset or before sunrise. The mirrors will focus sunlight into a concentrated beam, directed by solar farm operators using a simple interface, where users can log in, provide GPS coordinates, and request sunlight. <div type="twitter" handle="bennbuilds" handlename="bennbuilds" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1826682383514697993"></div>The idea is to make solar energy more available when it’s most needed — not just during daylight hours, but also in the early morning and evening when electricity demand is typically higher. This could potentially increase the efficiency and profitability of <keyword id="20423867" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-power-generation" source="keywords">solar power generation</keyword>, as energy produced during these periods can be sold at higher rates. <h3 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">Potential challenges</h3>Despite the excitement around this technology, there are several challenges that Reflect Orbital will need to overcome. Weather conditions such as thick clouds or storms could obstruct the reflected sunlight, limiting its effectiveness. Seasonal changes that affect the angle and duration of sunlight might also present difficulties. Additionally, the potential environmental impact, including light pollution and interference with astronomical observations, has raised concerns among scientists and environmentalists. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112805908" title="How will Sunita Williams’ body have changed when she returns from space in February 2025?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Reflect Orbital is aware of these challenges and has designed the mirrors to minimise light pollution. The company has also tested its technology using a hot air balloon, which successfully simulated the satellite mirrors' effect by reflecting sunlight down to a solar farm. According to co-founder <keyword id="22948422" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ben-nowack" source="keywords">Ben Nowack</keyword>, the company was able to generate "500 watts of energy per square metre" of solar panel, which is about "half the brightness of the sun." <div type="twitter" handle="bennbuilds" handlename="bennbuilds" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1767961251186163857"></div>Reflect Orbital is still in the early stages, with plans to launch its first test satellite in 2025. Interest in the project has been strong, with over 30,000 applications already submitted by individuals and organisations eager to participate in the initial offering of "sunlight on demand." This ambitious project could mark a significant step forward in renewable energy technology if successful, providing a novel solution to the intermittent nature of solar power and helping to accelerate the transition to <keyword id="21313059" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainable-energy-sources" source="keywords">sustainable energy sources</keyword>.

Space startup Reflect Orbital plans to sell "sunlight on demand" — how will it work?

Perth: (The Conversation) Last week, three tiny Australian satellites from Curtin University's <keyword id="23932163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Binar-Space-Program" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Binar Space Program" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Binar Space Program">Binar Space Program</keyword> burned up in Earth's atmosphere. That was always going to happen. In fact, Binar means "fireball" in the Noongar language of the First Nations people of Perth. When a satellite is in low Earth orbit (2,000km or less), it experiences orbital decay as it drags closer and closer to the surface, eventually burning up. But these cube satellites (<keyword id="21533654" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CubeSats" source="keywords">CubeSats</keyword>), known as Binar-2, 3 and 4, entered the atmosphere much sooner than originally planned. They only lasted for two months - a third of what was expected. This significantly reduced valuable time for science and testing new systems. The reason for their untimely demise? Our Sun has kicked into high gear, and the Binar satellites are far from the only casualty. Recent high <keyword id="20792842" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Solar-activity" source="keywords">solar activity</keyword> has been causing an unexpected headache for satellite operators in the last few years, and it's only increasing. <h2>Why is the Sun so active? </h2> Solar activity includes phenomena such as sunspots, solar flares and solar wind - the stream of charged particles that flows toward Earth. This activity is a product of the Sun's ever-changing magnetic field, and approximately every 11 years, it completely flips. At the midpoint of this cycle, solar activity is at its highest. While this cycle is known, specific solar activity is challenging to predict - the dynamics are complex and solar forecasting is in its infancy. In the last few months, indicators of solar activity were more than one and a half times higher than predictions for this point in the current cycle, labelled <keyword id="22712826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-cycle-25" source="keywords">solar cycle 25</keyword>. <h2>The impact of <keyword id="20087207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-weather" source="keywords">space weather</keyword> </h2> Space weather refers to the environmental effects that originate from outside our atmosphere (mostly the Sun). It affects us on Earth in a variety of noticeable and unnoticeable ways. The most obvious is the presence of auroras. In the past few months, auroras have been visible far more intensely and closer to the equator than in the last two decades. This is a direct result of the increased solar activity. Space weather, and solar activity in particular, also creates additional challenges for satellites and satellite operators. Higher solar activity means more solar flares and stronger solar wind - resulting in a higher flux of charged particles that can damage or disrupt electrical components on satellites. It also means an increase in ionising radiation, resulting in a higher dose for astronauts and pilots, and potential disruptions to long-distance radio communications. But for satellites in low Earth orbit, the most consistent effect of solar activity is that the extra energy gets absorbed into the outer atmosphere, causing it to balloon outward. As a result, all satellites less than 1,000km from Earth experience a significant increase in <keyword id="23473319" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="atmospheric-drag" source="keywords">atmospheric drag</keyword>. This is a force that disrupts their orbit and causes them to fall towards the planet's surface. Notable satellites in this region include the International Space Station and the Starlink constellation. These satellites have thrusters to counteract this effect, but these corrections can be expensive. Low Earth orbit also contains many university satellites, such as the Binar CubeSats. Cube satellites are rarely equipped with tools that can adjust their altitude, so they're entirely at the mercy of space weather. <h2>What happened to Binar? </h2> The Binar Space Program is a satellite research program operating out of Curtin University. It aims to advance our understanding of the Solar System and lower the barrier for operating in space. The program began operations with its first satellite, Binar-1, in September 2021. This was less than a year into solar cycle 25 when solar activity was relatively low. In these conditions, the ten-centimetre cube satellite started at an altitude of 420km and survived a full 364 days in orbit. The program's follow-up mission - Binar-2, 3, and 4 - were three equally sized CubeSats. However, they were expected to last approximately six months owing to the extra surface area from new deployable solar arrays and a forecast increase in solar activity. Instead, they only made it to two months before burning up. While cube satellite missions are relatively cheap, the premature ending of a mission will always be costly. This is even more true for commercial satellites, highlighting the need for more accurate space weather forecasting. The good news is the Sun will calm down again. Despite the current unexpectedly high solar activity, it will likely slow down by 2026, and is expected to return to a solar minimum in 2030. While this was not an explicit goal of the mission, the Binar Space Program has now poignantly demonstrated the dramatic effects of solar activity on space operations. While the untimely loss of Binar-2, 3 and 4 was unfortunate, work has already begun on future missions. They are expected to launch into far more forgiving space weather. (The Conversation).

Right now, the Sun is far more active than predicted - and small satellites are paying the price

Billionaire <keyword id="19929098" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gautam-adani" source="keywords">Gautam Adani</keyword>'s group will supply <keyword id="19914923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clean-energy" source="keywords">clean energy</keyword> to power Google's cloud services and operations in India, the two firms said on Thursday. <keyword id="19955648" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Adani-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Adani Group" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Adani Group">Adani group</keyword> will supply 61.4 megawatt of electricity from a new <keyword id="21342349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-wind-hybrid-project" source="keywords">solar-wind hybrid project</keyword> located at its 30 gigawatt (GW) Khavda renewable energy park in Gujarat. Google powers most of its cloud operations and services through electricity procured from the grid and is planning to run the entire operations on clean energy by 2030. Adani is expected to start commercial operations in the third quarter of 2025. At the '<keyword id="23413952" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google-for-India" source="keywords">Google for India</keyword>' event, the search giant also announced a partnership with CleanMax for sourcing 125.4 MW of clean energy to power its offices and cloud regions in India. Of the contracted volumes, 66 MW solar energy will come from Rajasthan and 59.4 MW wind energy from Karantaka. "These projects are expected to start commercial operations in Q4 2025 and will deliver <keyword id="22243112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="carbon-free-energy" source="keywords">carbon-free energy</keyword> to the grid where Google operates offices and cloud regions in India," Google said. While Google made the announcement at the 'Google for India' event here, the Adani Group gave details in a statement. "Through this partnership Adani will supply clean energy from a new solar-wind hybrid project located in the world's largest renewable energy plant at Khavda, Gujarat. This new project is expected to start commercial operations in the third quarter of 2025," the Adani group statement said. This innovative collaboration will help advance Google's 24/7 carbon-free energy goal by ensuring cloud services and operations in India are supported by clean energy and thereby contribute to the <keyword id="20289318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainable-growth" source="keywords">sustainable growth</keyword> of Google in India. Adani had previously announced plans to set up data centres run on clean energy. It had in October 2022 leased 4.64 lakh square feet of space at its data centre in Noida to Raiden Infotech, an entity of Google.

Adani to supply clean energy for Google's cloud operations in India

<keyword id="21352806" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="space-travel" source="keywords">Space travel</keyword> is often seen as a frontier of human exploration, but it comes with hidden dangers — even for the <keyword id="23296403" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-heart" source="keywords">human heart</keyword>. A recent study has revealed that just one month in space can weaken engineered human <keyword id="23296404" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-tissue" source="keywords">heart tissue</keyword>, make its ‘beating’ patterns irregular, and trigger molecular and genetic changes similar to ageing. These findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shed light on how <keyword id="21719438" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spaceflight" source="keywords">spaceflight</keyword> affects the <keyword id="19951026" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cardiovascular-system" source="keywords">cardiovascular system</keyword>. Microgravity can take a toll on the human body, causing cardiovascular changes like irregular heartbeats in astronauts. However, understanding how extended space missions impact the heart at a molecular level has been challenging. “It’s not possible to do the different molecular and functional studies in human astronauts,” explains study co-author Deok-Ho Kim, a biomedical engineer at Johns Hopkins University. To tackle this challenge, Kim and his team engineered heart tissue and sent it to the <keyword id="19985509" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Space-Station" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="International Space Station" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="International Space Station">International Space Station</keyword> (ISS) for 30 days. They used human induced pluripotent stem cells, which can transform into any cell type, to develop heart muscle cells. These cells were arranged in a ‘<keyword id="23296406" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart-on-a-chip" source="keywords">heart-on-a-chip</keyword>’ system — a tiny structure that mimics the beating function of a heart. While in space, sensors monitored the tissue’s strength and beating patterns in real time, and the results were striking. After just 12 days on the ISS, the heart tissue's contraction strength had nearly halved, while the samples that remained on Earth stayed relatively stable. The tissues’ beats also became increasingly irregular, with the time between each beat stretching over five times by day 19. Interestingly, these irregularities resolved after the tissue returned to Earth, suggesting that astronauts, like <keyword id="21544825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sunita-williams" source="keywords">Sunita Williams</keyword> and Butch Wilmore, currently stationed on the ISS, may experience similar cardiovascular stress that could subside upon returning to Earth. Further analysis revealed that spaceflight caused significant structural changes in the heart tissue. Protein bundles responsible for muscle contractions, called sarcomeres, became shorter and more disordered. The mitochondria, cells' energy producers, also appeared swollen and fragmented. Additionally, genes linked to inflammation and heart disorders were more active in the tissues from space, while those crucial for heart contraction and energy production had reduced expression. While this heart-on-a-chip model doesn’t capture all cardiovascular changes, it offers a valuable tool for studying the effects of microgravity on the human body. Joseph Wu, a cardiologist at Stanford University, believes this approach could help explore how other organs fare in space. Kim and his team now plan to send more tissues into space for longer periods to deepen their understanding and test potential drugs to counteract microgravity's effects on the heart. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112805908" title="How will Sunita Williams’ body have changed when she returns from space in February 2025?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Human heart ‘aged’ after just one month in space, says study

President Droupadi Murmu, on Friday visited an exhibition to showcase space technologies and achievements, at Bharat Mandapam, on the maiden <keyword id="22301946" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Space-Day" source="keywords">National Space Day</keyword>. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and <keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ISRO" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="ISRO">ISRO</keyword> Chairman S Somanath were also present. <keyword id="19939985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="President-Murmu" source="keywords">President Murmu</keyword> extended her greetings on the occasion of the first National Space Day and welcomed the decision to celebrate Space Day on the day <keyword id="19990220" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan" source="keywords">Chandrayaan</keyword> landed on the <keyword id="19899207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moon" source="keywords">Moon</keyword>. "It was a glorious moment for all the Indians when ISRO's Chandrayaan landed on the moon. I saw the live telecast of that moment, I was so proud that day like other Indians. To celebrate National Space Day on this occasion is a commendable step. I congratulate all of you on the first National Space Day. ISRO has achieved many feats since its inception". She also expressed her happiness with the student's participation in the event "Happy to see students' participation in this event." Highlighting the significance of <keyword id="19929542" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-exploration" source="keywords">space exploration</keyword>, she added "Space exploration has extended human's ability and help complete the imagination of humankind. Space exploration is exciting and challenging at the same time. Health, transportation, environment, energy, security and information technology are benefitted due to the growth in the <keyword id="20242397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-sector" source="keywords">space sector</keyword>". The president termed the growth of the ISRO as extraordinary, "The growth of <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s space sector is extraordinary, be it Mangalyan mission that was accomplished through minimum resources or launching more than 100 satellites at a time. we have achieved many such feats". She also praised the introduction of private players in the space sector in the country, "Introducing of the private sector in Indian has led to the formation of many <keyword id="22829456" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-start-ups" source="keywords">space start-ups</keyword> in India. This has allowed the youths of India to explore the space sector". Expressing her happiness about ISRO's plan to make <keyword id="20793131" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-mission" source="keywords">space mission</keyword> debris-free she said "I am happy that India is moving towards making India's space mission debris-free by 2030". India celebrated its first-ever National Space Day on Friday on the theme "Touching Lives While Touching the Moon: India's Space Saga". On 23 August 2023, India achieved a historic milestone when the Chandrayaan-3 lander completed a soft landing on the moon. This remarkable accomplishment made India the 4th country to accomplish this feat and the 1st to land on the lunar South Pole. In recognition of this achievement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared August 23 as National Space Day.

"A glorious moment for all Indians when Chandrayaan landed on moon" says President Murmu on National Space Day

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Rolls-Royce is in talks with potential customers for its nuclear reactors, per the Financial Times.</li><li>Rolls-Royce has been working on so-called micronuclear reactors for over three years.</li></ul>Rolls-Royce is in early-stage talks with potential customers for its compact nuclear reactors, which are designed to power data centers on Earth and one day to be sent into space, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ft.com/content/50ccf53b-132e-46d3-86eb-83abd33264b0">Financial Times reported</a>. The so-called microreactors have a much smaller power output than traditional small modular reactors but are more transportable due to their smaller size. Jake Thompson, the company's director of novel nuclear and special projects, told the FT the reactor could provide energy solutions for data centers, mining, and remote communities. A spokesperson for Rolls-Royce confirmed to Business Insider that it is in early-stage talks with potential customers. Big Tech companies — including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft — have expressed interest in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-nuclear-power-ai-data-centers-2024-10">nuclear power to meet</a> AI's high energy demands. Rolls-Royce believes the growing international interest in nuclear power will increase the demand for microreactors for both Earthbound and space applications, the FT reported. Thompson told the FT that Rolls-Royce's focus has been on building a reactor that is "really small, small enough so you could load it onto a rocket and send it into space."The company has been working on the technology for over three years, first collaborating with the UK Space Agency in 2021 to study how nuclear power could support space exploration.In July 2024, Rolls-Royce was awarded funding from the agency's National Space Innovation Programme, or NSIP, for space nuclear power. The company<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2024/22-07-2024-rolls-royce-awarded-national-space-innovation-programme-funding-for-space-nuclear-power.aspx"> said in a statement at the time </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2024/22-07-2024-rolls-royce-awarded-national-space-innovation-programme-funding-for-space-nuclear-power.aspx">that the £4.8m</a> award from NSIP would help to advance the development and demonstration of key technologies in the space nuclear microreactor market.The company said the NSIP's project had a total cost of £9.1 million ($11.5 million) and aimed to progress the microreactor's "overall technology readiness level."

Rolls-Royce is in talks to use its compact nuclear reactors to power data centers and space missions

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday voiced concern over increasing <keyword id="20715750" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-debris" source="keywords">space debris</keyword> as a result of numerous satellites being placed in orbit and lauded <keyword id="19915124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISRO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ISRO" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ISRO">ISRO</keyword> for setting itself a target to make future <keyword id="20018231" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-missions" source="keywords">space missions</keyword> debris free by 2030. Murmu was speaking at the celebration of the maiden <keyword id="22301946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Space-Day" source="keywords">National Space Day</keyword> celebrations to mark the first anniversary of the landing of India's Chandrayaan-3 project. "Space debris can cause problems for space missions," she said during the event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi that was attended by Union minister Jitendra Singh, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath, engineers, ISRO scientists and representatives of the country's nascent space industry. The president appreciated the ISRO System for Safe &amp; Sustainable Operations Management facility, which ensures continuous progress of space research activities. "I am also happy to note that India is moving forward to make all its space missions debris free by 2030," Murmu said. The president presented awards to winners of the Robotics Challenge and the Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon on the occasion. The president said ISRO had made remarkable achievements in the space sector as well as invaluable contributions to the country's social and economic development. She appreciated the dedicated scientists who placed India's space programme among the best in the world by using minimum resources. Murmu also expressed confidence that the country would make continuous progress in space science and continue to set new standards of excellence. The president said the progress of India's space sector was extraordinary. "Be it a successfully completed Mars mission with limited resources or the successful launch of more than a hundred satellites at once, we have made many impressive achievements," Murmu said. The president said space exploration had increased the capabilities of human beings and transformed imagination into reality. "But space exploration is a challenging task. Research conducted to solve the problems during space exploration accelerates the development of science and improves human life," she said. The president said many sectors, including health and medicine, transportation, security, energy, environment and information technology, had benefited from developments in the space sector. The president pointed out that with the opening of the space sector to private entities, the number of start-ups had increased at a very rapid pace. "This has not only brought progress in space research but also given new opportunities to our youth to showcase and hone their talents," Murmu said. The president said she was happy to note that just a few months ago, an Indian company successfully launched a single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket, the first such achievement. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/2024-tvs-jupiter-vs-honda-activa-6g-which-110cc-scooter-should-you-buy/slidelist/112730069.cms">2024 TVS Jupiter vs Honda Activa 6G – which 110cc scooter should you buy?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/how-to/how-to-add-music-to-instagram-profile/articleshow/112732934.cms">You can now add music to your Instagram profile – here's how</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/audi-q8-facelift-launched-in-india-with-a-1-17-crore-price-tag/slidelist/112707701.cms">Audi Q8 facelift launched in India with a ₹1.17 crore price tag</a>

President Murmu voices concern over increasing space debris

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Malcolm Aw said he pulled out of a <keyword id="19998110" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Neom" source="keywords">Neom</keyword> contract because of alleged Saudi <keyword id="20531932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-rights-abuses" source="keywords">human rights abuses</keyword>. </li><li>The CEO of Solar Water told BI that he had planned to build solar <keyword id="21441601" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="desalination-plants" source="keywords">desalination plants</keyword>. </li></ul>A <keyword id="19895435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-energy" source="keywords">green energy</keyword> founder pulled out of a $100 million <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-saudi-arabia-forces-authorized-kill-villagers-the-line-colonel-2024-5">Neom</a> contract after he realized that the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make way for the megacity. Malcolm Aw, the CEO and founder of Solar Water, told Business Insider that he initially got involved with Neom to help realize its ambitions as a pioneering green energy "<keyword id="22368252" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="eco-city" source="keywords">eco-city</keyword>." Neom is the centerpiece of Saudi ruler <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vision-2030-saudi-arabia-plan-future-proof-oil-economy-2023-8">Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 project</a> to diversify the Saudi economy away from fossil fuels and transform it into a luxury tourism destination and innovation hub. However, Aw said he was so appalled at reports of human rights abuses that he canceled the Neom contract in 2022, despite having already begun planning some of his desalination plants there. "They just, they bulldoze their way right through villages and everything, which is just unbelievable," said Aw. Aw spoke to BI after <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-68945445">BBC News</a> reported that an exiled Saudi colonel said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-neom-middle-east-conflict-israel-peace-tourism-2024-5">Saudi Arabia</a> authorized the use of lethal force to clear the way for its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-neom-roadshow-china-investor-interest-funding-2024-4">Neom</a> desert megacity. Col Rabih Alenezi said he was ordered to evict people living on the land to make way for a part of the project called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/neom-what-we-know-saudi-arabia-500bn-mega-city-2019-9">The Line</a>. The area was mostly populated by the Huwaitat tribe. The BBC said it was not able to independently verify Alenezi's comments about lethal force. However, satellite images analyzed by the BBC showed three villages, including schools and hospitals, were destroyed to make way for Neom. One of the villagers, Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, was<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/4/15/saudi-forces-kill-man-who-refused-to-give-up-property-activists"> later reportedly killed by Saudi authorities,</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/05/saudi-arabia-un-experts-alarmed-imminent-executions-linked-neom-project"> said the UN.</a> "What it tried to do is turn the whole province into Dubai or Qatar or something, but in doing so, they are clearing the people who have been there for years out of the area," said Aw. "These people could be such a contribution to this whole development. You know the villages have all been removed." Aw, who is a descendant of Tiger Balm founder Aw Boon Haw, told BI that he had initially been drawn to work on the Neom project because of its commitment to green energy and ecology. Aw's company uses solar energy for desalination, while most desalination plants burn fossil fuels and have been found to pollute oceans. Neom had offered Aw's company, Solar Water, $100m for exclusive rights to use his technology. Neom's planners say they want to be an"eco-city," with the signature project "The Line" — a vertical mirrored skyscraper cutting through the desert — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/theline">running on 100% renewable energy</a> and 95% of the land preserved for nature. They claim to be committed to "respecting existing communities and cultural heritage within our region." But Aw believes the promises are not being fulfilled, and planners are performing a U-turn on their original vision for the city. "What they're doing is not ethical and what they're doing is they're creating an exclusivity to house wealthy people in a wealthy touristic area. But that wasn't the original idea. The idea was to develop a green scenario," he said. "The whole idea we came in is to make the place green, and for the people, the local people, the indigenous who have been there for ages, for yonks, to be able to share into development," said Aw. "But then they change course. Suddenly, they are totally different from what we expect to do, and in doing so, they have done a lot of damage." Neom declined to comment on Aw's claims. The Saudi embassy in the UK did not respond to a request for comment. <keyword id="19905161" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saudi-Arabia" source="keywords">Saudi Arabia</keyword> has been trying to quell public criticism about its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vision-2030-saudi-arabia-plan-future-proof-oil-economy-2023-8">Vision 2030 plans</a>. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-woman-gets-30-years-prison-criticizing-neom-megacity-twitter-2023-6">Last year, BI </a>reported that the crackdown extended to those criticizing the evictions on social media, with Fatima al-Shawarbi sentenced to 30 years in prison for speaking out. The project has been beset by problems in recent months, with costs spiraling to an estimated $1 trillion and key projects delayed or cut back. In April, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/saudis-scale-back-ambition-for-1-5-trillion-desert-project-neom">Bloomberg reported</a> that Saudi officials were reducing the number of people expected to be living in Neom from around one million to 300,000 by 2030. The report also said the length of The Line could be cut from around 100 miles to one mile. Aw urged planners to stand by their original ethical and ecological vision. "You know, we have the technology to solve the [green energy] problem that people are complaining about today. Absolutely. Absolutely. But there's just not the vision or the ethical commitment," he said. Correction: July 5, 2024: An earlier version of this story misstated one of Malcolm Aw's claims. While Aw's company, Solar Water, was contracted to build desalination plants in Neom, it withdrew before construction work had begun.

Energy CEO said he canceled a $100M contract with Neom when he realized the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make space

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced a cut in customs duty on minerals such as lithium, copper and cobalt, which are critical for nuclear energy, renewable and other sectors, to give a fillip to the energy transition. In her budget speech in Lok Sabha, Sitharaman recalled that in the interim budget she had announced a strategy to sustain high and more resource-efficient economic growth, along with energy security in terms of availability, accessibility and affordability. "We will bring out a policy document on appropriate energy transition pathways that balances the imperatives of employment, growth and environmental sustainability," she said. Noting that minerals such as lithium, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements are critical for sectors like nuclear energy, <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword>, space, defence, telecommunications, and high-tech electronics, she proposed to fully exempt customs duties on 25 critical minerals and reduce BCD (basic customs duty) on two of them. This will provide a major fillip to the processing and refining of such minerals and help secure their availability for these strategic and important sectors, she said. She stated that energy transition is critical in the fight against climate change. To support energy transition, she proposed to expand the list of exempted capital goods for use in the manufacture of solar cells and panels in the country. Further, she stated that in view of sufficient domestic manufacturing capacity of solar glass and tinned copper interconnect, I propose not to extend the exemption of customs duties provided to them. Noting that steel and copper are important raw materials and to reduce their cost of production, she proposed to remove the BCD on ferro nickel and blister copper. "I am also continuing with nil BCD on ferrous scrap and nickel cathode and concessional BCD of 2.5 per cent on copper scrap," she said. About the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which was rolled out earlier this year, he informed the House that in line with the announcement in the interim budget, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has been launched to install rooftop solar plants to enable 1 crore households obtain free electricity up to 300 units every month. The scheme has generated remarkable response with more than 1.28 crore registrations and 14 lakh applications, and we will further encourage it, he stated. She further stated that a policy for promoting pumped storage projects will be brought out for electricity storage and facilitating smooth integration of the growing share of renewable energy with its variable &amp; intermittent nature in the overall energy mix. She stated that nuclear energy is expected to form a very significant part of the energy mix for Viksit Bharat. Towards that pursuit, our government will partner with the private sector for setting up Bharat Small Reactors; research &amp; development of Bharat Small Modular Reactor and research &amp; development of newer technologies for nuclear energy, she informed the House. The R&amp;D funding announced in the interim budget will be made available for this sector, she added. The development of indigenous technology for Advanced Ultra Super Critical (AUSC) <keyword id="20421620" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="thermal-power" source="keywords">thermal power</keyword> plants with much higher efficiency has been completed, she informed the House. A joint venture between NTPC and BHEL will set up a full-scale 800 MW commercial plant using AUSC technology and the government will provide the required fiscal support, she added. Moving forward, the development of indigenous capacity for the production of high-grade steel and other advanced metallurgy materials for these plants will result in strong spin-off benefits for the economy, she pointed out. A roadmap for moving the 'hard to abate' industries from 'energy efficiency' targets to 'emission targets' will be formulated, she stated adding that appropriate regulations for the transition of these industries from the current 'Perform, Achieve and Trade' mode to 'Indian Carbon Market' mode will be put in place. She further stated that an investment-grade energy audit of traditional micro and small industries in 60 clusters, including brass and ceramic, will be facilitated. Financial support will be provided for shifting them to cleaner forms of energy and implementation of energy efficiency measures. The scheme will be replicated in another 100 clusters in the next phase, she stated. Gaurav Kedia, Chairman, Indian Biogas Association said that the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024 has unveiled a roadmap towards a sustainable and resilient India, with agriculture and energy security at its core. It is anticipated that these initiatives will catalyze the growth of the biogas industry, leading to increased rural employment, reduced carbon emissions, and improved soil health, he stated. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" target="_blank">Budget 2024-25 – Changes to tax slabs, increased standard deduction and other changes to direct taxation</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024-25: How will this budget impact you?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-record-allocation-of-rs-1-48-lakh-crore-for-education-employment-and-skilling/articleshow/111951228.cms">Budget 2024: Record allocation of Rs 1.48 lakh crore for education, employment and skilling!</a>

FM cuts customs duty on minerals critical for energy transition

The outlook for <keyword id="34553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="Orion">renewable energy</keyword> is undeniably improving, but the shift away from fossil fuels towards alternative, sustainable sources of power presents significant challenges. Many individuals question the reliability of solar energy due to its reliance on daylight and seasonal variations. However, envision a solution that completely eliminates these limitations. <keyword id="19156540" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="space-solar" source="Orion">Space Solar</keyword>, a technology company based in the UK, has ambitious plans to establish a unique <keyword id="12654063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solar-farm" source="Orion">solar farm</keyword> in <keyword id="6359982" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="earth" source="Orion">Earth</keyword>'s orbit. What's even more fascinating is their belief that this project could be operational as soon as 2035! Our planet's atmosphere serves as a protective barrier, shielding us from the harmful effects of solar radiation, such as cancer or severe burns. Nevertheless, this also means that ground-based solar farms cannot harness all the potent energy emanating from the <keyword id="24879" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sun" source="Orion">Sun</keyword>. When considering that solar technology heavily depends on daylight and clear skies, the idea of space-based solar farms becomes alluring. According to the <keyword id="59844" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="european-space-agency" source="Orion">European Space Agency</keyword> (<keyword id="191401" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="esa" source="Orion">ESA</keyword>), solar rays in space are ten times more potent than those on Earth, accessible around the clock, transcending the restrictions of time and location. Furthermore, this energy can be transmitted wirelessly to Earth or even the Moon using microwaves. In summary, Space Solar envisions that their expansive solar farms floating in space, extending for kilometres, could generate 13 times more renewable energy than traditional solar or wind farms while occupying only a fraction of the space. The emergence of reusable spacecraft, popularised by companies like SpaceX, has finally made this solar venture economically feasible. The company aims to supply 20% of Earth's energy needs using a fleet of 600 satellites. Europe has been actively exploring the concept of space-based solar farms to support its transition to a Net Zero economy for some time. The ESA has introduced the SOLARIS initiative to harness space-based <keyword id="70990" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="solar-power" source="Orion">solar power</keyword>. By the end of this year, two parallel concept studies for large-scale commercial farms will be completed, contributing to the development of a roadmap to transform this pivotal <keyword id="8445756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-transition" source="Orion">green transition</keyword> concept into a reality.

Futuristic floating solar farms could be wirelessly powering the Earth from space by 2035!

<keyword id="19970523" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mahindra-group" source="keywords">Mahindra Group</keyword> and global institutional investor <keyword id="20194556" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ontario-teachers" source="keywords">Ontario Teachers</keyword>' Pension Plan Board have co-sponsored an infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) holding assets of 1.54 GW in the <keyword id="34553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="Orion">renewable energy</keyword> space in India. The InvIT, Sustainable Energy Infra Trust (<keyword id="20197897" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="SEIT" source="Orion">SEIT</keyword>), is India's largest InvIT in the renewable energy space and has raised primary capital of Rs 1,365 crore as part of the initial offer of units (offer), Mahindra Group said in a statement. Several global and Indian investors, including Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), subscribed to the offer. SEIT made its debut on the National Stock Exchange on Monday. SEIT has been set up to focus on the growth of the renewable energy sector in India at scale. It holds operational renewable power assets seeded by <keyword id="19970521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mahindra-susten" source="keywords">Mahindra Susten</keyword> with a generation capacity of approximately 1.54 GWp. The capital of Rs 897.8 crore made available to Mahindra Susten by way of an offer for sale of units of SEIT will help Mahindra Susten develop a future pipeline of renewable energy assets. Mahindra Susten and SEIT, as a part of their growth strategy, have entered into a Right Of First Offer (ROFO) arrangement, in compliance with InvIT Regulations, whereby renewable energy assets developed by Mahindra Susten will be offered for sale to SEIT. Both Mahindra Group and Ontario Teachers' had committed to invest up to Rs 3,050 crore and Rs 3,550 crore respectively into Mahindra Susten and SEIT. Anish Shah, Group CEO &amp; MD, Mahindra Group, said, "Mahindra Susten has ambitious plans to achieve 5X growth in the next five years and will contribute to both the Groups' and the nation's green energy goals. "The renewable energy sector will continue to grow and attract investments and we are excited about both Susten's and SEIT's role in developing the right ecosystem." Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board (Ontario Teachers') is a global investor with net assets of usd 249.8 billion as at June 30, 2023.

You Searched For "Energy space" and got 11 results

Space startup Reflect Orbital plans to sell "sunlight on demand" — how will it work?

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Right now, the Sun is far more active than predicted - and small satellites are paying the price

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Adani to supply clean energy for Google's cloud operations in India

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Human heart ‘aged’ after just one month in space, says study

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"A glorious moment for all Indians when Chandrayaan landed on moon" says President Murmu on National Space Day

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Rolls-Royce is in talks to use its compact nuclear reactors to power data centers and space missions

Beatrice Nolan

President Murmu voices concern over increasing space debris

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Energy CEO said he canceled a $100M contract with Neom when he realized the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make space

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FM cuts customs duty on minerals critical for energy transition

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Futuristic floating solar farms could be wirelessly powering the Earth from space by 2035!

Ankush Banerjee

Mahindra Group, Ontario Teachers' co-sponsor InvIT in renewable energy space

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