Why is a Japanese firm proposing to build a 250-mile wide belt around the moon?

Through a project called Luna Ring, Shimizu Corp. has proposed turning the moon into a generator of solar power. A belt of solar panels 250 miles wide placed around the moon’s equator would relay a constant supply of energy to receiving stations on Earth, either via lasers or microwaves. It is estimated that Luna Ring would be capable of generating 13,000 terawatts of power. By comparison, the U.S. generated 4,100 terawatts of power in all of 2011.