Japanese Firm Wants to Build Solar Power Plant on Moon [Video]

A firm in Japan is planning to build a solar power plant on the moon. Called the LUNA RING, the project will harness sun's power and beam it to the earth.

The Shimizu Corporation, the firm planning this incredible feat, plans to place solar cells near the moon's equator. The belt of cells will be about 400 kilometers (248 miles) and will soak-up the sun's energy and direct it to earth in the form of microwaves and lasers.

"Virtually inexhaustible, nonpolluting solar energy is the ultimate source of green energy that brings prosperity to nature as well as our lives," the company said on its website. "Shimizu Corporation proposes The LUNA RING for the infinite coexistence of mankind and the Earth."

Since, the moon has no atmosphere; the cells would be continuously harnessing solar power.

Constructing a Solar Power Grid on Moon

The firm wants to employ an army of robots to help build the solar grid. Shimizu will use lunar resources to construct the Solar Belt, which will stretch to about 11,000km in length (6835 miles). Machines and equipment will be manufactured on earth and sent to moon for installation. A team of astronauts will manage robotic surface operations.

"Water can be produced by reducing lunar soil with hydrogen that is imported from the Earth. Cementing material can also be extracted from lunar resources. These materials will be mixed with lunar soil and gravel to make concrete. Bricks, glass fibers and other structural materials can also be produced by solar-heat treatments," the company said.

Shimizu says that it plans to start the project by 2035, Gizmodo reports.