This may sound ridiculous first time you hear it, but Japan is
thinking about solar power from panels located in space to
mother earth, or to be more exact, the nation of Nippon itself.
According to the Nikkei (one of Japan’s biggest newspapers), the
government plans to ask local technology companies to
participate in the endeavor as early as next month. The project
is aimed at finding ways on how to convert solar energy into
microwaves first before converting them back into energy on the
surface. This would make it possible to generate solar power
regardless of the weather on earth. A satellite is already
scheduled to be launched in 2015 in order to collect initial
project-related data. The Japanese government hopes the space
solar energy system to be in place and ready by 2030. Via Nikkei
[registration required, paid subscription]