Municipal officials in push for wireless power transmission
MUNICIPAL officials want to remove all conventional electricity cables and introduce wireless transmission of power in the future.
A request to conduct a study on adopting the transfer of electrical energy without wires has been presented to the government by Bahrain’s three municipal councils – Muharraq, Northern and Southern – and the Capital Trustees Board.
If the Cabinet approves the concept, municipal officials will meet the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) to present their outlines.
The requested technology would see the usage of far-field or radiative techniques, also called power beaming.
Under this system, power is transferred by beams of electromagnetic radiation, such as in microwaves or laser beams, and can transport energy at longer distances but must be aimed at the receiver.
The wireless technology is currently in wide use for near-field purposes such as charging handheld devices and implantable medical devices like artificial cardiac pacemakers or electric vehicles.
Last year, the Federal Communication Commission in the US certified the first mid-field radio frequency (RF) transmitter of wireless power.
Southern Municipal Council chairman Ahmed Al Ansari, who initially presented the idea, said the new wireless technology would save the government millions of dinars.
“The government is spending millions of dinars on conventional methods that require large generators, coils and cables in addition to other equipment that is expensive to repair or carry out maintenance on,” he said.
“Besides (saving millions) the new wireless electricity system will also free up vast space used for substations, and underground and upper cables, while restricting eyesores and environmental hazards.
“The new wireless technologies still have hazards such as any radioactive transmitted energy, but studies online show them to be of lower levels than the existing techniques or methods.”
He said the project would be a huge step forward in electricity production, transmission and consumption.
He also explained the two existing smart technologies for the transmission of wireless electricity.
“There are microwave and laser technologies and both have advantages and disadvantages, but their pros outweigh the cons,” he added.
“Microwave power beaming can be more efficient than lasers, and is less prone to atmospheric attenuation caused by dust or water vapour, and are less dangerous.
Options
“The government has to study both options and select the suitable one that would allow the shift from the conventional to the wireless technology.
“This doesn’t need to happen now – a five-year strategy could be drawn up.”
Northern Municipal Council chairman Mohammed Buhamood said it was essential to study the proposal now in order for the shift in methods to go smoothly in the future.
“We are already using wireless electrical technologies on small machines,” he said.
“So shifting towards that system to power the country within the next 10 years is the right thing to do – technologically, technically and financially.”
The proposal has been referred to the Cabinet for review.
Source: http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/305897/Municipal-officials-in-push-for-wireless-power-transmission
