TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Japanese construction company Shimizu Corp. proposes to build a colossal solar power plant on the moon. The company will spread 250 mile-wide solar panel across the moon and send the energy to 'receiving stations' on earth using laser transmission or micro wave.
The project, called Luna Ring, is predicted to be able to send up to 13,000 terawatt power to earth. For comparison, the whole electrical power produced by the United States in 2011 was only around 4,100 terawatt.
"A shift from economical use of limited resources to the unlimited use of clean energy is the ultimate dream of mankind," the company wrote on its website. "The Luna Ring translates this dream into reality though ingenious ideas coupled with advanced space technologies."
The Japanese have always depending on nuclear power to fill up their electrical power needs. However, since March 2011, more citizens have started to question the use of atomic energy while the government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. struggled to control the impact that resulted from Fukushima's damage due to tsunami and quakes. The disaster has triggered the new search for safer energy source.
Shimizu has revealed that if the budget is sufficient, the Luna Ring project can be started in 2035. Robots and automatic devices will be developed to mine natural resources on moon for the building material and solar cells. The Luna Ring will circle the 6,800-mile moon’s equator to receive constant sun light.
THE TELEGRAPH/PHILIPUS PARERA
