Imagine invisible beams of electricity powering ferries and electric aircraft, reaching into isolated areas, distributing power across the South Pacific, and connecting offshore wind farms to the grid.
Then imagine, if you can, that power coming from thousands of kilometres away in outer space, transmitted to Earth from orbiting power stations fitted with multitudes of solar panels. And etched into the critical transmission componentry are the words: “Made in Aotearoa New Zealand.”
In fact, the technology behind this potentially revolutionary leap forward has already been invented, patented, prototyped and lab-tested by Kiwi scientists in Auckland and New Plymouth. Known as power beaming, it is attracting worldwide interest.
It’s still very early days for the fledgling company behind the technology, Emrod, and it has yet to prove that it works outdoors. But that hasn’t stopped founder and chief executive Greg Kushnir telling anyone who will listen about his plans.
Are its ambitions pie in the sky? It’s too soon to know but, just days ago, Emrod demonstrated its technology in Munich to potential partners and investors from around the world. They included Europe’s leading aeronautics company, Airbus Defence and Space, which hosted the demonstration and then boasted about it on its website, and the European Space Agency.
The door to a potential deal was opened by Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods, who had met Airbus’ head of R&D, Nicole Dreyer-Langlet, in Berlin in June to convey the message that the technology is
