DARPA’s New Record-Breaking Laser Could Redefine Power Distribution Across the Globe
Story by Jessica Bennett • 1d
DARPA’s recent achievement in advancing power beaming technology sets a new benchmark for wireless energy transmission. Through its Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program, DARPA has made substantial strides, achieving a groundbreaking distance record for transmitting power over long distances.
A New Milestone in Wireless Power Transmission
The recent success of DARPA’s POWER program introduces an innovative approach to energy transmission—using lasers instead of traditional power lines. By successfully transmitting 800 watts of power for 30 seconds over a distance of 5.3 miles (8.6 km), the program has demonstrated significant progress in solving one of the military and humanitarian sector’s most persistent challenges: the efficient transport of energy. For decades, power distribution has relied on complex infrastructure, often susceptible to disruption in remote or hostile environments. DARPA’s solution? Power beaming via laser technology that can cross vast distances, even in areas where power lines are impractical or impossible.
The Technology Behind Power Beaming
At the heart of the POWER program’s success lies the Power Receiver Array Demo (PRAD), an innovative device designed to convert laser energy into usable electricity. The PRAD system comprises a spherical structure with a compact aperture that captures a laser beam. Upon striking a parabolic mirror, the light is dispersed onto an array of photovoltaic cells that then convert the light into electrical power. Despite currently being at a modest efficiency rate of 20%, the system is designed to improve as the technology matures, with long-term goals set for greater efficiency.
The Path to Long-Distance Energy Delivery
The immediate goal for DARPA’s POWER program is not just about proving the concept of power beaming but also optimizing it for practical use. In the most recent tests, both the power emitter and receiver were situated on the ground. However, future plans aim to deploy these systems on high-altitude drones, which would reduce the atmospheric loss of power and allow the energy to be transmitted even in the presence of obstacles such as buildings or birds. This could revolutionize the way energy is delivered to remote and hard-to-reach locations. As the program advances through Phase One and into its later stages, the focus will be on refining the accuracy of the system, correcting wavefront issues, and minimizing conversion losses.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/darpa-s-new-record-breaking-laser-could-redefine-power-distribution-across-the-globe/ar-AA1GOAtm?ocid=widgetonlockscreen&cvid=3aa99e070d084faab2dd27d0ba829955&ei=69
