Eco Factor: Solar panels installed on a 6800 mile belt around the moon’s equator.
We recently reported about Shimizu Corporation’s plan to create self-powered “botanical cities” and the construction firm has now come up with yet another ingenious proposal to use the moon as a solar power plant for the earth.
The firm’s Luna Ring proposal includes the installation of solar panels on a 6800 mile belt around the moon’s equator, since the lunar equator is constantly exposed to a steady amount of energy from the sun.
Sunlight will be converted into electricity by these solar panels, which will be transmitted via cables to facilities close the near side of the moon where it will be converted into microwaves or laser power in order to be transmitted to the earth.
At ground energy conversion facilities will again convert the beamed energy into electricity that will be supplied to grids. The raw materials needed to construct the plant will be built by robots using moon rocks and dust. The team has also figured out a way to create water with lunar soil and hydrogen. Other machinery and equipment from earth will be assembled in space and landed on to the lunar surface for installation.
Via: Dvice/Pink Tentacle