NTT Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries recently announced that they have achieved the world’s highest level of efficiency in laser-based wireless power transmission, successfully transmitting electricity over a distance of 1 km in an outdoor environment with atmospheric turbulence.
According to a statement by the companies, the trial used a 1 kW laser to send power, with 152 W received at the target location, achieving transmission efficiency of 15,2%. The success was enabled by beam shaping technology, which adjusts the shape of the laser beam to compensate for atmospheric turbulence, and output current levelling, which reduces fluctuations in the received power by controlling the current output. Together, these techniques addressed issues of uneven beam intensity and instability caused by variations in the air along the transmission path, the statement says.
“The breakthrough paves the way for practical use of wireless power transmission in locations where it is difficult to install or maintain power lines such as remote islands, mountainous regions and disaster-affected areas.” The companies also highlight potential future applications, including supplying power to drones and transmitting electricity from space-based generation sources.
