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Japan Plans $21B Space Power Plant
Mike writes "Japan has announced plans to send a $21 billion solar power generator into space that will be capable of producing one gigawatt of energy, or enough to power 294,000 homes. The project recently received support from Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and IHI Corp, who are now teaming up in the race to develop new technology within four years that can beam electricity back to Earth without the use of cables. Japan hopes to test a small solar satellite decked out with solar panels by the year 2015."
Once this is in place, my plan will come to fruition! I will threated to launch disco balls into the power beam unless Japan pays me... *pinky to mouth* one million dollars!
A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
I recall watching a documentary on Tesla that discusses a lot of things Tesla did including using fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field to create electric power. I also recall that his backer/investor or whoever he was (a famous banker I think... got a bank named after him even now but just can't think of the name) said he wouldn't back any research that wouldn't make him a lot of money and so killed the line research.
I think it's about time some "open source" minded group of people pick up where Tesla left off.