MAPLE - Wireless Energy Transfer In Space (look out below)

Daleandee

Daleandee

Final Approach
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Dale Andee
“The transition to renewable energy, critical for the world’s future, is limited today by energy storage and transmission challenges. Beaming solar power from space is an elegant solution that has moved one step closer to realization due to the generosity and foresight of the Brens,” says Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum. “Donald Bren has presented a formidable technical challenge that promises a remarkable payoff for humanity: a world powered by uninterruptible renewable energy.”

 
Where's Tyler Vernon when we need him?
 
Good first tech demo step. The challenge will be to scale up to usable and reliable quantities. The article makes no mention of the amount of energy, even for their demonstrator, other than it was enough to 'detect on the rooftop of the lab.'

Reminds me of the laser satellite communications demos of the 90s. It was demo'd by multiple agencies, but I'm not aware that it has displaced RF anywhere (but I am not current in the field and don't know what I don't know).

And what does microwave radiation at utility-level power mean for those in the immediate vicinity of the receivers (like birds and airplanes!)?

Where's Henning when we need him?
 
Color me EXTREMELY skeptical this will ever be truly useful. Here's my first take on the program.

To receive any useful amount of power, I expect the ground stations will require more land than a wind farm.

This project got started when a billionaire read an article in Popular Science and suggested the program to Caltech.
"Hey, I'll give you tens of millions to pursue this harebrained idea."

Of course, Caltech licked its chops and immediately earmarked 25-50% of the funds to their "overhead" account.

...Intrigued by the potential for space solar power, in 2011, Bren approached Caltech’s then-president Jean-Lou Chameau to discuss the creation of a space-based solar power research project. In the years to follow, Bren and his wife, Brigitte Bren, also a Caltech trustee, agreed to make the donation to fund the project. The first of the donations to Caltech (which will eventually exceed $100 million in support for the project and endowed professorships) was made through the Donald Bren Foundation.....
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There are many such projects funded throughout academia just because funding is available. It's a good way for the institution to pad its overhead account, existing profs to raise their profile, attract grad students, and complete PhDs.
 
Not a new idea; it's been discussed seriously since at least the 1970s. Not even that difficult technically. The proposals I recall seeing assumed a fairly low intensity energy beam to a very large receiving antenna, probably in desert or farm country. It wouldn't be harmful to pass through the beam but you probably wouldn't want to live in it. Crops could be grown under it, though, as the antenna would be a large open mesh comparable to a chain link fence laid flat some 10-20 feet above the ground.

Technically, we've been doing wireless energy transmission for over 100 years: When you build a crystal radio (or foxhole radio) to pick up an AM radio station using no battery, it's operating solely on the energy received from the radio signal.
 
Bob Noel said:
Where's Tyler Vernon when we need him?
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Or Rube Goldberg.

I would love to see even a tiny bit of analysis about the scalability of this, not to mention efficiency.

Interesting that they said no ground infrastructure is required. Somehow I doubt they’re beaming down 220V 60Hz AC power. And do they plan to beam their power directly to my house?
 
Half Fast said:
Interesting that they said no ground infrastructure is required.
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That thought makes me think it might be a useful weapon. What would happen if a couple zillion watt were aimed at an enemy fortification, or ship? That would explain the "no infrastructure needed" claim.
 
JOhnH said:
What would happen if a couple zillion watt were aimed at an enemy fortification, or ship? That would explain the "no infrastructure needed" claim.
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Really wouldn't need near that much if they could lock on a good power beam to my electric experimental and track it while flying ... :happydance:
 
JOhnH said:
What would happen if a couple zillion watt were aimed at an enemy fortification, or ship?
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Might work once, but after that everyone will figure out RF shields and/or reflectors to send that energy back to the source.
 
AV8R_87 said:
Starlink uses lasers for inter-satellite links.
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Worked on the US's missile early warning satellites in the late '70s; our next generation was going to have laser comm.

But like Van points out, this was space-to-space.


Ron Wanttaja
 
I saw that movie. Icarus had no trouble with energy transfer rates in Die Another Day.
 
psst - stock up on real maple syrup.
 
Domenick said:
I hate to admit it, but , whoosh--over my head.
I love real maple syrup and buy the Costco jugs 6 at a time.
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a very very very obscure reference to a John Ringo series, Troy Rising. Maple Syrup wars. Tyler Vernon.
 
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