Japan’s Mitsubishi conducts wireless transmission of solar power successfully

Japan has shown the way to tap unlimited solar power through wireless transmission of energy.

Researchers at Japanese firm Mitsubishi has been successful in transmitting 1.8KW of power via air, as a part of the ‘2012 Solar Power Wireless Transmission Technology Development Project’.

The microwave transmission, done with pinpoint accuracy to a receiver placed 55m away, was sufficient to run an electric kettle.

The technology, though transmitted for a short distance, is likely to open up the possibilities of utilising renewable power from space in the future.

A Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) spokesperson was quoted by Daily Mail UK as saying: ‘This was the first time anyone has managed to send a high output of nearly two kilowatts of electric power via microwaves to a small target, using a delicate directivity control device."

Japan had conducted the tests for the project at Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works.

The positive test results are likely to help Jaxa develop a space solar power system, for which it had been planning for long.

Ground demonstration tests done for the project was conducted on an agreement with Japan Space Systems, which supervises the ‘2012 Solar Power Wireless Transmission Technology Development Project’ and is a part of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.