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Wireless electricity, transmitted through the air like a Wi-Fi signal, has long been a science fiction dream. A dream that has just taken a giant step into the real world. A team of American scientists has achieved the feat of sending a significant quantity of electricity over a distance of more than 8 kilometers, without any cables, using a simple laser beam. This advance could well revolutionize our relationship with energy in the most isolated areas.
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The principle, called “optical energy beam”, is as ingenious as it is elegant. The electricity is first converted into a highly concentrated laser beam. This “cable of light” then travels through the air to a specialized receiver. On arrival, this receiver, equipped with a parabolic mirror, concentrates the light on high efficiency photovoltaic cells who convert it back into electricity.
During a recent test conducted in New Mexico as part of DARPA’s (the US Army’s research agency) POWER program, researchers set a new world record. They transmitted 800 watts over a distance of 8.6 kilometers for 30 seconds.
To put that number into perspective, the previous public record was 230 watts over just 1.7 kilometers. Paul Jaffe, the program director, said the demonstration had “literally pulverized” all previous records.
More than a record: applications that can change the game
This technology is not intended to replace our wall outlets. Its true potential lies where cables cannot go, or where they are too dangerous or expensive to install. The applications are immense.
Imagine an area hit by a natural disaster, without power. A truck equipped with a laser transmitter could supply a field hospital in just a few minutesa water pump or a communications center, without waiting for the network to be repaired.
The most spectacular application undoubtedly concerns drones. An unmanned aircraft could be recharged directly in mid-flight by a laser beam, allowing it to stay on a mission for days without ever needing to land.
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Safety, weather: a successful test in the worst conditions
Sending a powerful laser beam into the air obviously raises questions. Safety is the top priority, with multiple safeguards to ensure that the beam never crosses the path of a person or aircraft.
The other major challenge is the weather. Fog or dust may reduce effectiveness. This is why the scientists chose to carry out their test close to the ground, through the densest and “dirty” part of the atmosphere. As Paul Jaffe explains, “we wanted to test the maximum impact of atmospheric effects”. The success of the experiment in these difficult conditions is therefore all the more impressive.
And tomorrow? A true “Energy Internet” in the sky
The next step of the project is to create a real network. The idea is not to make a single shot over hundreds of kilometers, but to place airborne relays (on drones or balloons). A first beam would rise vertically to a relay, which could then “pass” the energy to another, creating what DARPA calls a “flexible energy network”.
We would thus move from a simple connection to a true “aerial energy network”, capable of transporting electricity on demand, anywhere on the globe. The program is also entering Phase 2, showing that the project is much more than a simple one-off feat.
Fun fact: a record celebrated with popcorn
To celebrate their record, the scientists had fun using some of the energy transmitted by the laser to make popcorn. A fun nod to the 80s sci-fi film “Real Genius”, where a similar scene occurs. A way of showing that this technology, although very serious, also has a fun side.
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