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News Tag: Laser Energy

NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries demonstrate kilometer-scale laser power beaming, echoing Tesla’s Wardenclyffe-era vision

In a modern twist on Nikola Tesla’s century-old wireless-power ambitions, NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries reported a real-world demonstration that delivered 152 watts of usable electricity over 1 kilometer at Nanki-Shirahama Airport in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The test transmitted just over a kilowatt of laser power to a photovoltaic receiver about a meter above ground, converting the beam at roughly 15% efficiency and running continuously for 30 minutes. Tesla famously pursued wireless power in the early 1900s, including his Wardenclyffe Tower prototype on Long Island, and today’s laser-based approach hints at practical near-term uses like powering equipment in disaster zones or keeping drones aloft longer.

NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries set a laser wireless-power record: 152 W delivered over 1 km

A team at NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) reported a real-world laser wireless power demonstration at Nanki-Shirahama Airport in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. They transmitted just over a kilowatt of laser power across one kilometer and converted it into 152 watts of usable electricity at the receiver—about 15% end-to-end efficiency. The test reportedly ran for 30 minutes continuously, a key milestone because outdoor air turbulence can distort a laser beam and reduce performance. It’s a modern, engineering-grounded echo of Nikola Tesla’s century-old dream of sending power through the air—now aimed at practical uses like powering remote sensors and emergency deployments.