Since 2008, the Japanese
Space Agency (JAXA) has been working hard to develop technologies to
transmit electricity wirelessly. The goal of the Space Solar Power Systems
(SSPS), is to be able to transmit energy from orbiting solar panels by 2030. On
March 12th, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) successfully conducted
a ground demonstration test of “wireless power transmission”, a technology that
will serve as the basis for the SSPS.
In the test, 10 kilowatts of
electricity was successfully transmitted via a microwave unit. Power reception
was confirmed at a receiver located 500 meters away. LED lights on the receiver
confirmed the transmission. This marks a new milestone in transmission distance
and power load (enough to power a set of conventional kitchen appliances). The
test also confirmed the success of the advanced control system technology that
is used to direct the microwave beam so that it stays on target.
The new test results promise to
lead to way to terrestrial applications like the SSPS, and will hopefully
eliminate the need for traditional cable connections. Potentially, a solar
battery in orbit (36,000 kilometers above earth) could generate power which
would then be transmitted to earth via microwave/laser, without relying on
cables. JAXA anticipates that this new technology could become a mainstay
energy source that will simultaneously solve both environmental and energy
issues here on Earth.
Original Post:Energy Innovations
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