Enhancing solar energy generation and usage: Orbiting solar reflectors as alternative to energy storage

Despite the growth of solar energy sector, its utilization for provision has remained largely limited to hours daylight. Previous studies have considered integration storage (ES) with farms charge up using during daytime and discharge in other hours. Alternatively, recent advancement space technology enabling deployment orbiting reflectors (OSRs) opens a new vista possibilities delivery clean services an environmentally friendly manner. OSRs can provide additional illumination from identified large-scale on Earth at critical day thereby enhancing generation extending production farms. This paper investigates farm output as alternative arbitrage ES examines short-term (annual) profitability long-term (lifetime) economic viability investment either OSR or option PV farm. Studies investigate different cases regarding both technologies options under market conditions hourly electricity price variation. The obtained results demonstrate that irrespective conditions, receives better value when integrated OSR.