Maana to make solar panels in Dubai

Portable mini factories can make solar panels using sand and electricity

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Saturday 4 December 2021

Luxembourg-based Maana Electric has opened an office in Dubai, as part of Expo 2020 Dubai. The space startup will make low-cost solar panels using desert sand.

Maana Electric's TerraBox is a portable fully-automated factory the size of several shipping containers and is capable of producing solar panels using only sand and electricity as inputs, and without any greenhouse emissions.

The cost of these panels will be five times lower than for conventional panels. Being locally produced, solar parks using them can avoid supply bottlenecks and save on shipping costs from China, which manufactures most of the world’s photovoltaic solar panels.

Manaa Electric plans to eventually send its mini factories into space and help future space colonists meet their energy needs.