NTT, MHI achieve milestone in laser wireless power transmission
By irradiating a laser beam with an optical power of 1 kW, the two Japanese companies succeeded in receiving 152 W of electric power 1 kilometer away.
NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) conducted an optical wireless power transmission experiment using a laser beam to wirelessly transmit energy 1 kilometer away.
By irradiating a laser beam with an optical power of 1 kW, the two Japanese companies succeeded in receiving 152 W of electric power 1 kilometer away. This marks the world’s highest efficiency of an optical wireless power transmission using a silicon photoelectric conversion element in an environment with strong atmospheric turbulence, according to a media release.
In recent years, wireless power transmission technologies for devices such as smartphones, wearable devices, drones, and electric vehicles, which can supply electricity without using cables, have garnered increasing attention.
There are two types of wireless power transmission systems: one uses microwaves and the other uses laser beams. Microwave wireless power transmission is already in practical use and its use is expanding. On the other hand, optical wireless power transmission using laser beam has not been put into practical use, but it is expected to realize compact long-distance wireless power transmission on the order of kilometers by taking advantage of the high directivity of the laser beam.
Future prospects envision the development of next-generation infrastructure capable of supplying power and expanding communication coverage in situations and regions where electricity or communication networks are unavailable, such as during disasters, in remote islands, mountainous areas, or at sea. This includes delivering power precisely to specific areas or moving platforms such as drones.
Achieving such highly accurate and long-distance power delivery requires laser-based wireless power transmission that takes advantage of its strong directionality, the media release said.
“Through the collaboration between NTT and MHI, we have realized the world’s most efficient laser wireless power transfer technology under conditions strongly affected by atmospheric fluctuations,” the two companies said in the media release. “This achievement represents a significant step toward building an innovative technological foundation that can meet a wide range of societal needs, from disaster response to space development.”
