In amazing scientific news, researchers from the Space Solar Energy Project at the California Institute of Technology announced the success of the first wireless transmission of solar energy through space, using a microwave array that transmits and converts solar energy into electrical energy that can be transferred anywhere in the world.
Given the promising results achieved by wireless power transmission technology, according to Caltech's press release, experts predict that it will be one of the sustainable solutions for solar energy in the future, and will help achieve a major transformation in the energy sector and provide large amounts of clean and renewable energy.
The researchers completed the experiment using a microwave array in low orbit (Caltech).
The fastest forms of renewable energy
Solar energy is the fastest growing renewable energy and currently accounts for 3.6% of global electricity production today. It occupies the third place in the renewable energy market after hydroelectric and wind energy.
The three forms of renewable energy are expected to grow significantly in the coming decades, reaching 40% by 2035 and 45% by 2050. In total, renewables are expected to account for 90% of the energy market by mid-century, about half of which is solar.
However, solar energy faces many technical challenges and problems that need to be overcome to achieve the transition to this type of energy. The main factor hindering the use of solar energy is the lack of continuity, as energy can only be collected when sunlight is available in sufficient quantity.
To address this, scientists have spent decades researching space solar energy (SBSP), where satellites in orbit collect power around the clock, 365 days a year, without interruption.
Technology development
To develop this technology, researchers from Caltech's Space Solar Power Project (SSPP) completed the first wireless power transfer experiment using microwave array technology, to experiment with a microwave array for power-transfer low-orbit experiment (MAPLE).
The SSB project is part of a broader project aimed at applying solar technology in space, developed by a team of researchers led by Professor Ali Haji Miri in the Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, and used in a project to transfer wireless solar energy from space to Earth.
This project consists of three main technologies, a set of flexible and light devices that contain wireless power transmission stations and solar cells, so that solar energy can be transferred from space to Earth using these devices.
The project was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 3 and was transported using a Momentus spacecraft.
Wireless power transmission
Electrical energy is generated by converting the sun's energy into electrical energy using solar cells in orbit, where satellites can obtain solar light without interruption.
Radio wave wireless power transmission technology is one of the main ways to transfer solar energy from space to Earth. This technology uses a microwave array that transmits power to receiving stations on the ground.
This technology has several advantages, including the absence of the need for cables and wires, which makes it more efficient and faster to implement. They also help to improve the energy conversion ratio and reduce losses caused by transmission.
This technology is currently being successfully used in some pilot projects in the world, and researchers expect it to see greater deployment in the near future, especially with the growing interest in solar energy and the development of technology in this field.