Wireless Power Transmission Makes Headway
Some industry pundits consider the wireless transmission of electricity – or wireless power – to be the Holy Grail of the industry, as it would reduce electric utility costs and make electricity available to more people. As far-fetched as that might sound, there is actually some progress being made toward this goal in New Zealand.
Sowing the Seeds of Wireless Power Transmission
Emrod, an energy startup, is getting ready to launch a pilot with a major New Zealand electric utility to test out the technology. The company has done two things that stand to potentially move the technology forward – first, it developed what it refers to as long-range wireless energy transmission technology, and second, it has convinced Powerco, the second-largest electric utility in the country, to test the technology with its customers.
The pilot will wisely tread lightly out of the gate, as it will only be used to deliver electricity to customers in extremely remote areas that, due to their “end of line” status, are currently subject to a high number of maintenance-related outages. Powerco will not be testing the technology across the majority of its customer base initially, but will likely expand the test in the future if the initial pilot proves successful.
This is obviously a huge win for Emrod, but it could also be a huge win for the utility industry as a whole in the long run. So far, no company has demonstrated a method for transmitting electricity over electromagnetic waves in a safe and reliable manner, but Emrod has come up with an approach that improves the viability of the concept.
The startup’s technology utilizes electromagnetic waves typically involved in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi communication protocols, and features measures designed to protect the transmissions from certain hazards, like birds. It’s a unique approach, and although the company’s wireless power transmission technology will certainly evolve over time, it represents a great starting point that we should all be keeping a close eye on in the emergency preparedness field.
