Japanese Firm Dreams of Free, Green Energy For All Mankind
Posted by Martin_Connelly on Thursday, Jun 03, 2010
Never mind the Japanese Space Yacht here comes the Luna Ring. It’s a Japanese imagined mega-scale solar power project, and yes, it’s on the Moon. The project is only an outline with some pretty pictures right now, but one that if realized, should fulfill all your techno utopian dreams. According to the Shimizu Corporation, The Luna Ring will bring the “infinite coexistence of mankind and the Earth.”
Here’s how it will work: A ring of solar panels will be installed around the Moon’s equator (which is conveniently exposed to a steady amount of solar energy. The power will be converted into electricity and moved to the near side of the moon, where it will be converted into microwave and laser power for transmission to the earth.
After that, everything is cinch. The power can be converted back into electricity, or into hydrogen fuel. “In this way, a world where all human beings can use energy equally will be realized.”
The Shimizu Corporation, a company started by a carpenter 200 years ago, mostly builds office buildings right now, but they’re dreaming about Space. In addition to the Luna Ring, they have plans for a lunar base, and a space hotel. Sounds great to me, but only if they have free Wi-Fi.
About the author
Martin Connelly is a freelance transmedia journalist based in St. John's, Newfoundland. He's worked across borders, both figurative and literal: as a newsroom editor for China Central Television In...
