Re: Power Beamed Via Microwaves

I think it can achieve about 80-90%, plus atmospheric loss which is
proportioal to distance and altitude.

More importantly, microwaves travel in straight lines, and to transmit
over any decent range need a sizable transmitter and rectenna. To
transmit say, 4km, both would need to be about 50m in diameter.
Assuming horizontal beaming, this would make for tall and expensive
structures. Assuming you want to limit beam strength to below 1KW/m2
(to avoid frying birds) this expensive apparatus could only transmit
2MW.

There has been talk about building one to transmit electricity to a
remote village in Polynesia, over a long valley, but I'm not sure
what's come of it.

Microwave transmission would be the ideal way to get electricity from
satellite solar power stations in Geostationary orbit to Earth's
surface.

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