Satellites will soon be able to transmit electricity anywhere on Earth

A company has just demonstrated its wireless technology to send solar energy collected in space back to Earth. The company also plans to transmit renewable energy collected on Earth around the world, thanks to a constellation of satellites.

L ‘ESAESAthe European Space Agency, would like to developenergyenergy Solar energy in space. The Electric currentElectric current Then it will be sent to Earth, and it will be available day and night. In this context, the New Zealand company amrod Wireless electricity transmission technology was presented to the European Space Agency.

The current prototype uses antennas measuring 1.92 meters in size to transmit and receive energy. Energy travels in the form of electromagnetic waves in the ISM (industrial, scientific and medical) frequency bands, near Wi-Fi, and is a beam directed between two points that allows little radiation to escape. To prove them, the antennas were separated by a distance of 36 meters, but they have already conducted tests at a distance of more than 200 meters.

Presentation of wireless power transmission technology. (In English, turn on machine translation for translations.) © Emrod

Transmission of electricity via satellite

While the Emrod transmission system could be used to send collected energy from space to Earth, this is not the company’s long-term vision. Imagine its founder, Greg Kushner, instead electrical networkelectrical network Global wireless network transmitted by satellite orbitingorbiting Low, 100 km above sea level. At this height, the antennas should be 30-40 meters. With current technology, Greg Kushner estimates it could achieve 60-70% efficiency, but hopes by 2040-2050 it will be closer to 80-85%, better than some wired networks.

Its goal is to completely separate the production of renewable energies from their use. With the satellite system, it will be possible to install solar panels in DesertDesert And send the electricity produced to the other side of the world. Thus it will be possible to take advantage of solar energy 24 hours a day, and isolated places can receive electricity without being connected to an electrical network. The company plans to start commercializing its delivery network technology by 2024.