Japan has a plan to beam energy down to Earth from space

A satellite no bigger than a washing machine could soon take a major step toward reshaping the future of clean energy. Japan is preparing to launch a spacecraft that will send solar energy wirelessly from orbit to Earth. The satellite will beam down the solar power it captures, where receivers will convert it into usable energy.

The project, called OHISAMA (Japanese for "sun"), will launch sometime in 2025. Weighing just 400 pounds, the satellite will enter low Earth orbit at about 400 kilometers (roughly 250 miles) above the planet.