Retail Beamed Power Using Millimeter Waves: Survey

Retail delivery of electric power through millimeter waves is relevant in developing areas where the market for communication devices outpaces the power grid infrastructure. It is also a critical component of an evolutionary path towards terrestrial and space-based renewable power generation. Narrow-band power can be delivered as focused beams to receivers near end-users, from central power plants, rural distribution points, UAVs, tethered aerostats, stratospheric airship platforms, or space satellites. The article surveys the available knowledge base on millimeter wave beamed power delivery. It then considers design requirements for a retail beamed power architecture, in the context of rural India where power delivery is lagging behind the demand growth for connectivity. A survey of technology developments relevant to millimeter wave beaming is conducted, and indicates that massive, mass-produced solid-state arrays capable of achieving good efficiency and cost effectiveness are possible in the near term to enable such retail power beaming architectures. © 2012 ACM