In the future, special photovoltaic power stations will remotely power aircraft using microwave beams

I would like to propose a vision for future aviation. Today, we do not have good solutions for aviation decarbonation, that would work at scale. However, there will be more and more photovoltaic power plants, one DOE report estimates that 0.5% of the US will be covered with solar panels by 2050 to meet power demand.

With some development, we can integrate surface antennas on photovoltaic panels. Some research groups have been doing this already for satellites, to bundle antennas and solar panel as a single system. With this system, and ground mounted solar panels, we can form a gigantic phased array and safely beam several MW to aircraft (battery-electric) whenever they fly around these photovoltaic power stations, recharge batteries and power motors.

The convergent microwave beam provides the required power to the aircraft, hitting receivers placed under wing and fuselage. The beam shape makes it safe to people and birds around the station (mW/cm2 levels) -up to several thousand meters altitude (to allow occasional recreational fliers) Illustration. Of course around the aircraft power levels are extreme (similar to those inside microwave ovens). This will require special protection with reflective films on windows and shielding for electronics.

The photovoltaic plant sizes will have to be approximately km diameter (200 MWp capacity). This will allow beaming of a diffraction limited spot of several meter across at 15,000 meter distance, with up to 10 MW net power, sufficient to power future narrowbody aircraft. End-to-end efficiencies are uncertain, but reception and rectification is up to 70% efficient, and emission is about 70% efficient as well, thus 40+% are achievable (possibly more). Power costs are comparable with current jet fuel prices (this varies a lot depending on assumptions, but an A320 uses 2200 kg/h jet fuel ($1,800/hour), and would need about 25 MWh input power at 40% end-to-end efficiency – between $750-$3,000/hour depending on cost per MWh).

By the DOE estimates there will be an average of one such farm every 20 km by 2050, and this system will be able to provide/recharge power for most of the flight.