Can electricity really be transmitted wirelessly over long distances?

The answer

Wireless power transmission (WPT) has achieved remarkable milestones. In June 2023, Caltech's Space Solar Power Demonstrator (SSPDX) successfully transmitted solar energy collected in space to a receiver on Earth's surface via microwave beams - a world first. New Zealand-based Emrod has developed long-range wireless power using focused electromagnetic beams in the ISM band, completing a prototype demonstration with Powerco (New Zealand's second-largest electricity distributor) transmitting power over 200 meters. In 2024, the US Naval Research Laboratory transmitted 1.6 kilowatts of power over 1 kilometer using microwave beams at 94% rectification efficiency. For consumer use, Xiaomi demonstrated room-scale wireless charging in 2021, and Ossia's Cota technology delivers power to devices up to 30 feet away. The key challenges are efficiency losses over distance and regulatory safety concerns about directed energy beams.