Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Mar 27, 2023

Mirai Solar harnesses green energy to power greenhouses

Mirai Solar, a solar technology startup of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, is disrupting the greenhouse market by developing foldable roof shades that not only prevent fruits, vegetables and flowers from extreme sunlight but also generate electricity to run these facilities.

Established in 2019, the company manufactures retractable, semitransparent photovoltaic shade screens that convert blocked sunlight into electricity. The solution has two main components: the PV panels and the shade screen.

The PV panels are made of monocrystalline silicon solar cells that generate an electric current when exposed to sunlight, which is fed into the local power distribution panel to support the energy needs of the greenhouse.

On the other hand, the shade screen is made of specialized light diffusion material designed to regulate the amount of light that enters the greenhouse by sliding back and forth along a track. When the shade screen is fully extended, it blocks part of the sunlight from entering the greenhouse, and when it is retracted, it allows more sunlight to enter.

The retractable PV shade screen is typically controlled by a computerized system that uses sensors to measure the amount of light entering the greenhouse. When the light is too high, the system automatically extends the shade screen to reduce the amount of light entering the greenhouse.

But for all practical purposes, the PV shade screens are controlled by a timer, allowing the user to set specific times for the screen to retract and extend.

“We wanted to provide ideal light management to the plants, so we engineered a screen that was retractable and had the flexibility of using solar cells with high efficiency and stability, offering us a huge advantage in performance and cost when compared with whatever PV technology was out there,” said Michael Salvador, CEO of Mirai Solar, a doctorate in physical chemistry who joined KAUST Solar Center in 2017.


Saudi greenhouse initiative


Of late, greenhouses have been under the spotlight in Saudi Arabia, especially after Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, the minister of environment, water and agriculture, in January approved investments worth $1.06 billion until 2025 toward the plant resources sector and greenhouses.

It highlighted the role of greenhouses in the Kingdom, where the hot and arid climate with limited water resources makes it difficult to cultivate crops sustainably. In many ways, it cleared the deck for controlled environments that protected crops from excessive heat, wind and pests, facilitating a variety of crops throughout the year.

Mirai Solar’s co-founder and CEO Michael Salvador at the KAUST Solar Center.


These plant shelters are also vital for the country’s food security as they help increase the local production of fresh produce and reduce dependence on imported food. This is particularly important given the increasing population and the need to meet the growing demand for food.

However, greenhouses in Saudi Arabia require significant electricity to maintain optimal growing conditions in extreme weather. For example, during the summer, temperatures can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius, meaning that air conditioning and cooling systems will need to run continuously to keep the greenhouse at a suitable temperature.

According to industry reports, the basic energy consumption of a greenhouse includes light supplementation, dehumidification, heating and cooling, which could account for over 90 percent of the total power consumption. So, energy efficiency in greenhouses is paramount.

Energy efficiency


In such a scenario, the prospects of Mirai shade screens appear much brighter as it was particularly suited for mid-tech greenhouses that typically utilize 80 kilowatt-hours per square meter a year and high-tech facilities that consume 500 kWh per sq.m. per year.

“We are at a stage where we can deliver a minimum of 80kWh per sq.m. per year so we can fully cover the electricity needs of a mid-tech greenhouse and a certain percentage of the demand of a high-tech facility,” Salvador added.

The solution’s flexibility is such that it offers a drop-in replacement to conventional shade screens, which means it can be retrofitted to existing greenhouses or integrated with new greenhouse constructions.

Ask Salvador where he drew his inspiration for this innovation, and his reply: KAUST. After joining the university, Salvador chanced upon Ryan Leyfus, one of the founders of Red Sea Farms, another innovative KAUST spinout that pioneered saltwater-based agriculture in the Kingdom.

Leyfus highlighted the concern of raising plants under conventional shade screens and planted the idea of a photovoltaic panel that mimics them and has the same functionality.

“We proposed the idea to the Technology Transfer Office of KAUST. They were convinced of the idea and provided us with a grant that helped us to develop a minimum viable product and later our first pilots on a sizable scale,” said Salvador, who ended up hosting a demonstration for Red Sea Farms at their greenhouse facility in the university campus.

Mirai Solar has been running several pilot installations in Saudi Arabia, including Estidamah and Al-Rasheed. The company is also manufacturing a PV system to be deployed in California around April, even as it scouts for funds to increase the scale of its operations, and this is just the beginning.

Soon, the solar technology startup will expand beyond the horizons of the greenhouse and create solar-powered car parking spaces for electric vehicles and deploy its foldable modules on mobile shipping containers to fuel their energy needs. And Salvador is committed to taking it to the next level.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
Close
0:00
0:00
In a dramatic U-turn against His Government: Judicial Reform Legislation Must Be Halted, Says Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel Corporation, died at 94
Powell: Silicon Valley Bank was an 'outlier'
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Goldman Sachs cuts outlook for European bank debt over Credit Suisse crisis
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
"Will Fly Wherever International Law Allows": US Warns Russia After Drone Incident
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Announcing GPT-4
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
China is calling out the US, UK, and Australia on their submarine pact, claiming they are going further down a dangerous road
A brief banking situation report
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
Saudi Arabia has announced a major breakthrough in diplomacy with Iran after two years of intense talks
A Mississippian man, who was once considered a “ticking time bomb,” has lost a whopping 165 kilograms! What motivated this incredible transformation?
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
Barcelona is feeling the heat as they face corruption charges over payments to former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
Watch: “They are wounded but unbowed, unbreakable.”
Silicon Valley Bank: Struggles Threaten Tech Startup Ecosystem"
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
Old clip of Bill Gates saying Ukraine is a big, fat, corrupt sinkhole is going viral
Saudi Arabia To Introduce Yoga In Universities
Middle East real estate market to see strong growth in 2023, predicts CBRE.
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
Saudi Aramco, the energy giant, has acquired Valvoline Inc., a US-based oil company, for $2.65 billion
How do stolen goods end up on Amazon, eBay and Facebook Marketplace?
It's the question on everyone's lips: could a four-day workweek be the future of employment?
Is Gold the Ultimate Safe Haven Asset in Times of Uncertainty?
Spain officials quit over trains that were too wide for tunnels...
Hello. Here is our news digest from London.
Corruption and Influence Buying Uncovered in International Mainstream Media: Investigation Reveals Growing Disinformation Mercenaries
When it comes to Tesla vs Lamborghini, an empty vessel makes more noise
European MP Clare Daly condemns US attack on Nord Stream
Former U.S. President Carter will spend his remaining time at home and receive hospice care instead of medication
North Korea test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan west of Hokkaido
Tucker Carlson called Trump a 'demonic force'
US bombed Nord Stream gas pipelines, claims investigative journalist Seymour Hersh
Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani bid in for 100% of Manchester United
US Joins 15 NATO Nations in Largest Space Data Collection Initiative in History
White House: No ETs over the United States
×