Japanese firm wants to transform the Moon into a giant solar power plant

02 June 2010

The Shimizu Corporation, a Japanese construction firm, has recently proposed a plan to harness solar energy on a larger scale than almost any previously proposed concept. Their ambitious plan involves building a belt of solar cells around the Moon’s 6,800-mile (11,000-kilometer) equator, converting the electricity to powerful microwaves and lasers to be beamed at Earth, and finally converting the beams back to electricity at terrestrial power stations. The Luna Ring concept, the company says, could meet the entire world's energy needs.

Shimizu envisions that robots would play a vital role in building the Luna Ring. Teleoperated 24 hours a day from the Earth, the robots would perform tasks such as ground leveling and assembling machines and equipment, which would be done in space before landing them on the Moon. A team of astronauts would support the robots on-site.


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4dd37136048b.jpg[/atsimg]
The Luna Ring: Electric power generated by a belt of solar cells around the lunar equator would be transmitted and beamed to the Earth from the near side of the Moon. Image credit: Shimizu Corporation.

www.shimz.co.jp...

www.physorg.com...

This would be good if they can pull it off, seems plausible but on the other hand it seems that every time we hear about some great new technology it never happens or TPTB stop it, like everything else I expect this will go away, hope not because we need alternative energy more then ever.

[edit on 4-6-2010 by Aquarius1]

That is great! I hope they do this. Where do i apply for a job?

Proble is that the Oil Companies and Saudi Arabia wouldn't let it happen

Originally posted by onequestion
That is great! I hope they do this. Where do i apply for a job?

Don't think you will be going to the Moon anytime soon, looks like if this comes to pass they will be using robots, automation takes the fun out of everything, seems they get the best jobs and do it for nothing.

Since we know the moon is moving away from the earth at approx. 1" per year
how will they calibrate for this, and will what the bulid in one year be as effective in the next 10?

I don't know if this would be such a good idea. The moon and it's distance to the earth is key to our survival here. Should we really tamper with something so vital to our existence? I think we should leave well enough alone when it comes to the moon.

sounds still like a concept to me. the moon is looking riper and riper for colonization. the only way we are going to get a leg into space though is by making it profitable some how. why not build nuclear reactors on the moon as well, if they melt down it will be of no consiqence to the enviornment! the jobs on the moon would probably come in 1 year contracts, somethign that big you would need a presence on that planet.

and if something like this actually happened there wouldnt be much of a need for saudi arabia anymore

Originally posted by paxnatus
Since we know the moon is moving away from the earth at approx. 1" per year
how will they calibrate for this, and will what the bulid in one year be as effective in the next 10?

Good point, if they have the technology to do we have to assume they have figured that out also, at least I would hope so.

Since we haven't been back to the moon in all these years and no one else has been there either which in itself is very strange maybe there is something stopping us from going there, I can speculate and say that there is already somebody there and they don't want us mucking it up like we seem to do with everything else.

Thanks for posting this

I started a thread yesterday about the Shimizu Corporation and their future plans and concepts, they've really set the bar high for themselves and are planning to push the limits of whats possible.



If your interested in it here is the thread.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 4-6-2010 by InvisibleObserver]

reply to post by InvisibleObserver


Will check it out, the title you used is deceiving, when I did a search it did not come up, had you used the word Japanese it would have.

reply to post by Aquarius1


I think we should leave the Moon alone. There are means to get energy to all but TPTB will never allow it. We should really leave the Moon alone imo.

The Energy Paradigm Shift Opens the Door to a Sustainable Society

A shift from economical use of limited resources to the unlimited use of clean energy is the ultimate dream of all mankind.
The LUNA RING, our lunar solar power generation concept, translates this dream into reality through ingenious ideas coupled with advanced space technologies.
Virtually inexhaustible, nonpolluting solar energy is the ultimate source of green energy that brings prosperity to nature as well as our lives.
Shimizu Corporation proposes The LUNA RING for the infinite coexistence of mankind and the Earth.

www.shimz.co.jp...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6c30bc706c72.jpg[/atsimg]

There is extensive detail at the above link, looks likethey have thought of everything, still don't think it will happen, wonderful dream nevertheless, I think we should leave the moon alone.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


I am in total agreement with you, we should leave the moon alone, there is alternative energy right here on earth in abundance, problem is that it's being suppressed, guess they will wait until it's too late.

It's a poor idea because by the time they finish the project setup, their infrastructure will be obsolete because of new technology. Then who would pay for it to be disassembled and returned to Earth? No one.

Like every Corporation, they don't care about anything except profit and so would litter the moon to make a buck.

No thanks.

reply to post by Aquarius1


I don't mind that you started this thread, in mine I just listed their outline of idea's without going into details, if I had went into details of each concept it would of been like 5 pages long.

I was glad you started this one focusing on solar panels on the moon. I S&F it.

Wow. Just wow. I'm really curious as to how this is going to play out.

Only time will tell.

I dislike the idea purely for aesthetic reasons. The moon's beautiful appearance in the sky is our heritage. Jeeze, is nothing sacred? Is nothing worth keeping?

reply to post by InvisibleObserver


Thank you, this is just one aspect of this companies dream, I do beleive it is only dream, wouldn't it be better to apply some of this technology on Terra Firma where it's needed most.

reply to post by Aquarius1


I agree with you. Two problems that came to me with the solar plant idea on the moon is, the moon gets pounded with meteorites all the time which could pose a major risk factor to the whole set up, and solar storms is another risk that could threaten it.

Robert Zubrin was talking about this technology on C2C late last month. He seemed to think that the 'Green Movement' would never allow such technology to be used.

It would have to be incredibly safe to humans and the planet before such a thing could be approved to be used IMHO. People worry about the effects of HAARP... Well this has the potential to be much, much worse!

IRM