How Power Travels From the Moon to Your Home<\/p>\n
The Luna Ring <\/a>solves a basic problem with terrestrial solar power: intermittency. On Earth, solar farms<\/a> stop producing at night and lose efficiency during cloudy weather, but the Moon has virtually no atmosphere, meaning nothing blocks the Sun\u2019s rays. Along the lunar equator, one side or the other is always bathed in sunlight, enabling true 24 hour power generation.<\/p>\n Here is how the energy would travel. Solar cells on the lunar equator convert sunlight into electricity, and built in cables carry that power to the near side of the Moon, the face that always points toward Earth. There, transmission facilities convert the electricity into microwave beams and high energy lasers aimed at receiving stations on the ground.<\/p>\n On Earth, specialized antennas called rectennas capture the microwaves and convert them back into electricity for the power grid. According to Shimizu\u2019s proposal documents<\/a>, the system could also use the energy to produce hydrogen fuel for storage and transportation. The goal is a complete shift away from fossil fuels and toward a hydrogen based society.<\/p>\n Robots and Moon Dirt: A Construction Plan Like No Other<\/p>\n Building anything on the Moon is extraordinarily difficult, so Shimizu plans to rely almost entirely on robots. These machines would be tele operated from Earth 24 hours a day, performing tasks like ground leveling, excavation of lunar crust, and assembly of equipment. A small team of astronauts would support the robots on site, but humans would play a secondary role.<\/p>\n The construction would also use lunar resources as much as possible, reducing the need to haul materials from Earth. Moon soil is an oxide compound, and by importing hydrogen from Earth, workers could produce water and oxygen from the lunar surface. The same soil could be turned into concrete, ceramics, glass fibers, and even the solar cells themselves.<\/p>\n Shimizu\u2019s proposal includes self propelled production plants that would move along the lunar equator, manufacturing solar cells<\/a> from local materials and installing them as they go. The solar belt would range in width from a few kilometers to 400 kilometers at its widest point, wrapping the entire circumference of the Moon. A transportation route along the equator would carry construction materials, with power cables buried underneath.<\/p>\n The Cost Problem That Nobody Has Solved<\/p>\n For all its ambition, the Luna Ring faces one overwhelming obstacle: money. Masanori Komori, an economist with the Institute of Energy Economics in Japan, told ABC News that lunar solar power sounds good in theory but costs too much. He argued that Japan should focus on more realistic alternatives like geothermal power, which is already available and far cheaper to develop.<\/p>\n Yoshida himself admitted that he has no concrete estimate of the project\u2019s cost. The technology required is still in the research phase, including the ability to beam<\/a> gigawatts of power across 238,855 miles of space with pinpoint accuracy. The microwave and laser transmission would require guide beacons on Earth to ensure the beams hit their receiving stations, a feat never attempted on this scale.<\/p>\n Despite these hurdles, Shimizu\u2019s proposal argues that all the basic ingredients already exist. Sunlight is free, solar panels are mature technology, and both microwaves and lasers are well understood. The challenge is scaling everything to an unprecedented degree and doing it on the surface of another world.<\/p>\n Where the Luna Ring Stands Today<\/p>\n![\"Image\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-9.png.webp.webp\")
Solar cells on the lunar equator convert sunlight to electricity. Cables carry power to Earth facing side. Microwaves and lasers beam it to ground stations. Image Credit: Shimizu Corp<\/p>\n![\"Image\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8.png.webp.webp\")
Tele operated robots will build the solar belt using lunar soil. Moon dirt can become concrete, glass, and solar cells. Self propelled plants will install panels automatically. Image Credit: Shimizu Corp<\/p>\n