WOW - That's massive!!!

Pffft. 500m is nothing :tongue2:

Pffft. 500m is nothing :tongue2:

lol. Surely once the smaller tower is successful bigger versions would be made. Or I dream anyway :).

500m pretty impressive. when i stood back and had a look at model display, it was clearly taller/larger then any of the worlds tallest bldgs (except mighty burjD).
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/7383/image003yw0.jpg

I never said it wasn't impressive :). But after the original plan it can be a little dissapointing lol, but still 500m, thats 200m taller than Eureka!!

LOL at skytower ... its record in the southern hemisphere is under extreme threat!

If solar tower gets built and has lift access to top, the rims 500m elevation will be highest ob deck in world, some 50m higher then burj Dubais

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3980/burjdubaielevationbestcomparemx6.jpg

HA! Dubai would be angry!

It still excites me but i cant help thinking of that amazing original height of 1000m ... all good things come to those that wait i guess.

Ahh 500 is good yes, but 1000 would of been better, more efficent too... I belive.

500m is still very impressive, but I think it would be more well-known at 1000m. I suppose it would also serve as a landmark in the middle of nowhere.

@Cul: So it is now officially 500m?

the 500m height has been quoted a few times now even by Enviromission.I think its about as minimum as you can go if you want the structure to work.Hopefully in next few months the design will be finalized and construction will commence in 2007/8 .
A 1m thick concrete shell approx 80m dia and 500m will take some doing. I reckon they will use slip-form jump system and may even have continous pour construction just like current talelst chimney in Australia at Mt isa.
may take less then a year to erect.

Was working in Mt. Isa early this year and got to go up the chimney, it has a lift inside it. There is an "observation deck" of sorts at the top, except it has no railings so you have to wear a harness to stop you from falling to your death! (not to mention the toxic lead emmisions coming out at the top). Landscape is pretty boring, but breathtaking nonetheless from that high.

wow, 270m up! you would of been highest point in australia abovr grd. only top floors of Eureka would be higher which arent open yet.also roof of sydneyt ower but only a few workmen get to go up there (275m).
cheers

500m pretty impressive. when i stood back and had a look at model display, it was clearly taller/larger then any of the worlds tallest bldgs (except mighty burjD).
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/7383/image003yw0.jpg

Hey Cul, you wouldn't perhaps be able to get a clearer picture of these models by any chance would you. Even a scale drawing with both Australia's and the World's tallest buildings already completed. (I'm only asking because I'd assume you'd already have scale drawings you'd be able to whip together quickly)
Thanks.

he has look at the last few pages of this thread

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=9610061#post9610061

Even at 500m this thing would loom over the Mildura CBD - wouldn't it?

the Solar tower will be located near town of Buronga, some 25km northeast of Mildura, so bit far away,but should be ale to see it in background.

Buronga is just over river - so the tower is 25km away?

^yes, the nearest town to tower is Buronga.so tower will be located 25km north/east of Buronga.

I'm still having doubts about this proposed 500m Solar Tower for the Mildura (my home town) Region.

of the topic but does anyone know how tall the telstra tower is??, which is located in the Mildura CBD

me say it would be close to 150 or 160m

^ the solar tower will happen and will happen as soon as next year. The land has been purchased by Enviromission and builder-baulderstone Hornibrook have been contracted to build the project.
The regions current tallest structure is a 168m mast at Mt Yatpool . The tower in Milduras CBd rises to 76m.

http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/images/mildura/photos/33.jpg

u sure cul?, it looks alot higher than 78m

btw I always used think it would be a great if they built a observation deck/ restaurant on the top

alot of these towers were built in 1960;s to 250ft or 76m.
hers the 76m tower in Shepparton. it has an observation lounge but only half way up.
the top would be too small area to have an observatory.
http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/images/shepparton/photos/16.jpg

the Mildura tower is alot bigger than the Shepparton tower

btw cul i think uve gotten confused with the win tv tower

^ are there 2 towers in mildura?

anyway back to solar tower.
heres latest render.
note the shuttle monorail service located above greenhouse canopy. also lift shaft to top.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4927/enviromission03oy2.jpg

Nice!!! I'll go there just for the monorail :P! jk. Looks cool. The lifts should be glass!!! Lots of fun:) Nice render Cul.

i still think its totally gay how they reduced it to a pussy 500m rod.

here is our chance to make our mark on the world but no, they just have to screw it up

at 500m, you wont notice it from Mildura unless you look for it.

wow looks so futuristic :D, nice render

^ are there 2 towers in mildura?

Mildura actually has 4 towers (Telstra, WinTV, Mildura Hotel and the City Water Tower)

i still think its totally gay how they reduced it to a pussy 500m rod.

here is our chance to make our mark on the world but no, they just have to screw it up

at 500m, you wont notice it from Mildura unless you look for it.
i also think a 500m stack is "gay" but the 1000m option is science fiction atm.
A 500m concrete stack 65m across will surely be a sight to behold.only the burjD will reach higher (excluding all spires/towers antennae,masts).

Mildura actually has 4 towers (Telstra, WinTV, Mildura Hotel and the City Water Tower)
I'm pretty sure there are 3 water towers in Mildura.

oh yea there is too, lol

but that other water tower (located on 14th street and right near where i used to live) is alot smaller

i also think a 500m stack is "gay" but the 1000m option is science fiction atm.
A 500m concrete stack 65m across will surely be a sight to behold.only the burjD will reach higher (excluding all spires/towers antennae,masts).
I didn't say the tower itself is gay, what I meant was the decision to reduce it to 500m is gay.

now, to make up for this, they should build a forest of these things. 10 of these in one place now that would be sick!

That would be awesome. With 10 you could supply 2 million households with energy!!

^^
then lets have 20 and supply the whole of Australia!! I oughta buy shares in this company...it seems to be very promising.

Gay? So the decision is stylish and sensual?

500m is tall, but it loses big marks for just being a chimney. Let's face it, chimneys are pretty ugly. So tall and ugly isn't saying much. It will be impressive all the same for sheer bulk, but this ain't no Eiffel Tower.

Besides, they are starting a 1km megatower in Kuwait in September apparently so even the 1km chimney ain't going to cut it soon.

Plus it's in the middle of bloody nowhere!

yeah but it is a world first! solar tower (not including 200m metal pipe prototype in spain).
500m is massive ,especially 65m dia. makes current world talls look like tooth picks. current tallest chimney is 420m but its slender compared to 500m solar tower.
It aint ugly far from it. it will be a smooth curved concrete structure soaring above glass canopy 2km across.should look spectacular actually. especially from observation ring.
yes structures will rise higher in oil rich countrys but who cares. we are in Australia, lets just compare things over here.

i love a sunburnt country.a land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of drought and flooding rains and soaring solar towers!!

^^
then lets have 20 and supply the whole of Australia!! I oughta buy shares in this company...it seems to be very promising.


You wouldn't even need that as more than one person can live in a house.

^^
hehehe lol, i know, but all the factories need powering as well. Maybe 20 is a little overboard. Oh well. :runaway:

maybe this will be a structure that will stand the test of time.
Australia doesn't have many earthquakes, and if the walls are thick enough it could be around as long as the pyramids of egypt are now!

I resurrect this thread to inform you that I did a Sketch Up Model for the spanish Tower, in the town of Fuente el Fresno, 25 km at the north of Ciudad Real, as you can see in the spanish thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=317405&page=6&pp=20)

The link is this, and it's badly made (by me) with all the data I know.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=7272cad2b9e4579cf201b9b256579267&ctyp=sm

A photo is here:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/6916/torreubicaciondefinitivadl7.jpg

Some people says that the proyect of this construction may be more advanced than all the people thinks...

Other interesting project (not necessarily with architectural quality) is going to be made in this area, I am talking about the first Caesar's Palace Casino of Europe.

Yes, I know this thread is for Australia, but I thought it could interest you, because you can adapt the Sketch Up model for your solar towers.

And forgive my spanglish ;)

^ no need to reserect old thread. there was another thread which we were using. ive now merged them.
also i have one thread here in state section>
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=359523&page=3
yes the project is going well. should start next year.obviously the spanish prototype is not same scale as the planned Australian tower. (200m metal pipe compared to 500m concrete shaft).
thanks for links.

Sorry, the problem of this forum is that you can't search :)

But I believe you are mistaken. The spanish prototype was 195 meters, it collapsed due to high winds in the 90's.

This is the project of a new concrete construction (I hope a more solid one :) ), with 750 meters tall, 250 more than your project in Buronga, 70 meters of diameter, and 40 MW of production. The "glass" (forgive my limited vocabulary) is 2,9 km of diameter, and part of it will be used as a commercial greenhouse for tropical plants.

Probably you will see Australia from the top of the spanish solar tower :D

Some links are here (unfortunately, in spanish, but they have interesting graphs):

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2006/graficos/jun/s2/torre.html (requires flash)

http://www.fuenteelfresno.com/torre/torresolar.pdf (for your curiosity, the small round building you see in the pdf to compare the diameter with is the bullring of "Las Ventas", Madrid).

Google Translation to english of an article (www.elmundo.es) (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elmundo.es%2Fsuplementos%2Fcronica%2F2006%2F541%2F1142118006.html&langpair=es%7Cen&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools)

And as usual, forgive my spanglish ;)

Hi, I think this project is great news for the local area and the environment.
It would be great if it was taller just for the simple fact it would be more efficent.
I have no dought this project will go ahead one day, its the answer to the oil problems of the world I think.
Once the first is constructed I think many more will go ahead and taller also all over the country and the world.
I am surprised that Enviomissions share price is so cheap.
Anyway lets hope the funding comes in soon.

^yes its all positive about this solar tower project. nothing is negative. its a win, win situation.
pichuneke-thanks for your post. i didnt know about a 750m tower planned for spain. great news. lets hope one of them starts soon.

The truth is that few people, even here in "La Mancha" where is going to be located the tower ("Don Quixote of La Mancha", you know), knows about this. There are a lot of scepticism, and the people will believe it when the construction starts (planned for next year). The tower will be located just "in front" of the new Caesar's Palace Casino of Europe (18 km). As the tower will be able to be visited, I believe that is going to be an important tourist place.

Culwulla, and I hope that one day Australia will see a solar tower with 1000 meters and more. I hope that those towers will become popular.

sorry pichuneke, non eofyour links seem to work?
ive added in a 750m/70m dia chimney in this diagram to show comparison

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/7025/solartowercomparisonskc8.jpg

sorry pichuneke, non eofyour links seem to work?
ive added in a 750m/70m dia chimney in this diagram to show comparison


Thanks for the diagram, I will post it in the spanish forums.

The links work well for me. Perhaps there is a relation with the fact that we are in opposite sides of the world. The famous mail of 500 km has come to my mind :)

I can copy and paste the Google translation for you. It's an automatic translation, so... :lol:


INVENTION/IN A PLACE OF THE SPOT
A MILL OF 750 METERS OF HEIGHT
NOR Don Quixote could imagine something similar. The giant, a solar generator ELT, will provide energy equivalent to 140,000 barrels. The tower will warm up a conservatory of 250 hectares
JUAN C. OF THE CAL/MIGUEL CLEARING

“These giants no longer are what they were, friend Sancho”. “Not my gentleman, although is mills and nongiant, the humanity never saw similar heights…”. If ingenious hidalgo and their escudero raised the head - in the literal sense the end of the enormous construction would dim the Vista to them watching at the sky looking for that is going away to raise in territories of the Spot.

Still it is a project, but already the count down has begun to put the first stone at the beginning of next year. One is the highest tower of Europe -750 meters, its main aim will be to generate energy using the solar heat, and the Ash will rise in Source, a town of Real City of 3,500 inhabitants, in spurs of mounts of Toledo, and in the heat of route of the Quijote.

Its utility: to generate 30 megawatts of electricity - sufficient to satisfy the annual necessities with 120,000 people, to save the purchase to the State of 140,000 petroleum barrels and to avoid the expulsion to the atmosphere of more than 78,000 tons of CO2 to the year. And, everything, without using another fuel at least - nor water that the light of the sun.

The project is pioneering in the old continent although already two similar experiences in Saudi Arabia and Australia exist. Two Spanish companies - 3 Field and Imasa- and another German - Schlaich Bergerman-, are the ones in charge of their construction and operation, with the collaboration of the University of Castile-The Spot and the Ministry of Public Works and the Economy. The budget is of 240 million euros.

In the town there is a contained expectation on which it is going to suppose all this. All speak of the awaited solar tower, although not very high, it is not that Mr. Marshall passes like a the protagonists to them of the unforgettable Welcome film. At the moment, they will be three years of work in which 500 direct uses will be created and an almost nonexistent sector of services will be developed.

“Now only we have a small boardinghouse and three restaurants, insufficient to maintain that movement. The people who do not dedicate to the field - olives, grapevines and ewes march to Madrid every day to four in the morning to work in the construction and return in the evening. She imagines: two hours of going and other two of return to be able to gain the life. With the tower, no longer they will need to leave here because we are going to foment the local hiring”, assures Oscar Santos, mayor of Source the Ash.

Once constructed, the development of the town will be assured. “We will have a conservatory of 250 hectares warmed up by the own energy generated in the tower. Flowers sufficient could only here be planted to do damage to him to the sector of the market that occupies Holland, for example. Also it would be worth to mount hortofrutícolas businesses like in Almeria. On the other hand we waited for between means million visits the year - a viewpoint will have arrives, counting tourist, students and specialists. And, in addition, the tower will serve to mount systems of telecommunications and alert against fires. The yield will be assured for next the 60 years”, affirms on the other hand to Pedro Antonio Fuentes, representative of Field 3 and one of the parents of the project.

And the workers will arrive; and the tourists; and the peculiar ones; and the immigrants; and the work; and the money; and the prosperity… Source the Ash will become, without a doubt, with a tower that will be seen 60 kilometers of distance…


* The ecological chimney

good stuff.750m is huge.such a great project.
cheers

NEWS!!!

http://home.exetel.com.au/miliux/forumimage/Solar.JPG

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Govt-to-announce-major-energy-projects/2006/10/25/1161699356765.html

"The first is a $75 million grant for a $420 million large-scale solar concentrator in north-western Victoria to be built by Melbourne-based Solar Systems Pty Ltd."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20640344-661,00.html

THE world's second biggest solar power station will be built near Mildura in northern Victoria.

The Herald Sun believes Premier Steve Bracks and federal Treasurer Peter Costello will jointly unveil the $400 million project today.

Is solar or nuclear power the energy of the future? Have your say.

The super plant will provide green power to 45,000 homes and create 1000 jobs.

The Herald Sun believes the Federal Government will put in $75 million, and the State Government $50 million.

The station, which will be between Mildura and Swan Hill, will be run by Melbourne-based Solar Systems and aviation giant Boeing.

It will be operating by 2013.

The power generated from the 800ha site will have no greenhouse emissions.

The investment is a major win for the Bracks Government's Victorian Renewable Energy Target, which insists on electricity retailers getting 10 per cent of their power from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro-electricity.

The Government wants to cut 27 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

The state Opposition said the renewable energy target was heavily subsidised and would force power bills up. Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu yesterday boldly promised to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60 per cent by 2050.

"We accept global warming is real," Mr Baillieu said.

"We face a simple imperative -- we have to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."

His comments appear to be an about-face from his previous position, when he said he could not be sure global warming was causing climate change.

The Liberals have vowed to abolish the renewable energy target scheme if they win the November 25 state election.

More info here:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20640740-601,00.html

Enviromission Tower's ASX share has been halted because of the 'confusion' to the recent Federal government announcment.

http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA234.pdf

The recent announcment is not Enviomission, but different project.

More info here:

http://www.solarsystems.com.au/documents/SolarSystemsMediaRelease.pdf

Im confused

is this the environmission tower?

Enviromission Tower's ASX share has been halted because of the 'confusion' to the recent Federal government announcment.

http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA234.pdf

The recent announcment is not Enviomission, but different project.

More info here:

http://www.solarsystems.com.au/documents/SolarSystemsMediaRelease.pdf

posted to late

damn. not good

cul, do you know how much this tower will cost??

the original cost was $800mil. but since its now half the size, maybe $400mil?

interesting, and it was going to power 200,000 homes?

If that is this case, the federal government should look at building a solar tower rather than a plant, because a solar tower powers more homes and it costs the same price..

But really i dont understand why the federal government has not looked at building a solar plant or tower in Northern SA, north-western NSW, South-western Queensland or in WA. Because those areas get heaps of sun-light and it gets very hot.

or in the NT. Solar power is perfect for Australia, we get so much sun.

interesting, and it was going to power 200,000 homes?

If that is this case, the federal government should look at building a solar tower rather than a plant, because a solar tower powers more homes and it costs the same price..

But really i dont understand why the federal government has not looked at building a solar plant or tower in Northern SA, north-western NSW, South-western Queensland or in WA. Because those areas get heaps of sun-light and it gets very hot.

i spoke with Enviromission a while back about why QLD isnt on the list for a tower and they said it needs to be a dry heat not humid.makes sense.
doesnt get any bloody drier in centre of australia.

We could have all the towers in the centre then just huge power lines running fromt them? Probably wouldnt be viable though.

All of the electricity would leak out before it got to the populated areas.

^^ thats a point

50MW solar tower now?

No point waiting for it then. It's garbage. The other solar projects generates 3 times more.

They were going to build a 200MW tower, but they had to downscale because of the cost. I'm sure if the 50MW tower is a success, the Government would maybe fund 200MW towers.

not only the cost but Enviro realised the logistics in building such an enormous project.just too big for current engineering techniques.i mean a 1000m cncrete cone 130m dia. makes Burj Dubai look like a tooth pic.
even the scaled down version 500m x 65m dia is an enormous undertaking.still makes any skyscraper look miniscule in comparison.

not only the cost but Enviro realised the logistics in building such an enormous project.just too big for current engineering techniques.i mean a 1000m cncrete cone 130m dia. makes Burj Dubai look like a tooth pic.
even the scaled down version 500m x 65m dia is an enormous undertaking.still makes any skyscraper look miniscule in comparison.


You said it cul i mean What the hell!!!
:badnews:

This is the first iv heard of the friggin thing!

I hope it stays at 500 metres i mean an observation deck on a friggin chimney.

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU MEANT TO OBSERVE!!

Money could be better spent in improving schools hospitals and finding a lee ugly source of power i mean if that were to be built as 1000 m chimney i would make sure that the howard government would- punish themselves

:badnews:

^^ the obervation deck is to create more revenue. We need to get rid of the coal power stations, if we don't then we won't have a world to live in with schools and hospitals. We need to change before its too late.

cell phone.- its not a chimney!!. chimneys are flues for industrial pollutants. The Solar tower is a concrete shell for hot air to rise up to turn the turbines which =energy and removal of thousands of green house gases!
the observatory ring is a great idea. yes not much to look at but whole idea is the ride up in glass lift. 500m will be highest ob deck in world!

cell phone.- its not a chimney!!. chimneys are flues for industrial pollutants. The Solar tower is a concrete shell for hot air to rise up to turn the turbines which =energy and removal of thousands of green house gases!
the observatory ring is a great idea. yes not much to look at but whole idea is the ride up in glass lift. 500m will be highest ob deck in world!

Maybe like that in Andalucía, Spain: (photos by JaVIr)

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9853/fotitozm8.jpg


http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6749/fotitoih6.jpg

115 m. More at list of andalusian skyscrapers (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=379368)






diagram
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/502/126solartowerdiagram.jpg

:master: Wonderful diagram, as always.

You can see at the eleventh from right the 356m chimney of Endesa in La Coruña (Spain). Is the tallest structure in the country and it probably be the biggest (no tallest) chimney at the world.

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/7200/chimeneas1ur.gif

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a250/kiko9/DSCN9616.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a250/kiko9/DSCN9653.jpg

http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/9536/valleba8.jpg

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/5083/panopeqvb6.jpg

big here---->http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/4475/chimeneaxd0.jpg


More: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=10502088#post10502088

thanks for that theremin. such a mAssive structure.the solar tower at Andalucía loks interesting. maybe Australia will end up with something similar.

i'm still hoping for a 1km version.... screw downsizing the plans..

^^lol. I'm sure they will build a larger one when it is more viable. Lets get the actuall project kicking off first!

How wide will this thing be??

The one that is being built it 65m in diameter(found a few pages back), and the old proposal for the 1000m tower(shown in the above diagram) would of been 130m in diameter

Thankyou Bullswool.

sounds like poor old Enviriomission is still trying to push for the concept of solar tower.
interesting read of 4 page document.
FROM the 2nd last paragraph on page 2
"Enviriomission with Baulderstone Hornibrook and Ove Arup are now in process of determining the optimum plant dimensions and capacity to achieve the most commercial case for development.A result of this assessment may mean construction of the first power station will be in another market."

DEC 14-the latest>
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA340.pdf

^^Is it struggling Cul???

I thought it was always struggling. Hence the need to keep raising capital and funding.

jan22
looks like maybe Arizona may start off the race to get first big tower.
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA343.pdf

This will never be built in Australia under the current Federal Government.

John Howard has decided that it is better to give billions of dollars to coal companies to figure out a way to clean up thier act rather than supporting alternative energy projects such as this.

good onya Howard :bash: :bash:

yet another landmark structure for Australia gone to the shits. When are we going to have a government with vision? These governments are even more blind then me!

great, gees just what we need. Give it to America. We need a new landmark, our newest is the opera house lol. One day we will get a better government who will turn things around, however it certainly is not the current liberal party.

Its not so much the government ... it's Australia in general. People here are happy to aim for just enough but never more. There is no big-hitting attitude, or striving to go beyond ... people here are happy to make it to first base when we should be hitting it our of the park.

I was disapointed with the Federal government also when it awarded most of the low emmission funding to coal companies and a silly solar panel farm.
I agree with the above comment australia does just enough and thats all there is no adventure and firey spirt left.
And when they demolished Australias Wonderland just outside of Sydney that was it for me. Not happy.
There will be no solar tower in australia, not for a long time anyway.
But a great idea and I for one believe it would work.

Australia's wonderland you can blame on malaysia. :P

damn!! why isnt this happening in Australia????
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA343.pdf

Because of the stupid government.

^Get over it peeps... it aint happening. I dont know why we are still talking about it. Govt. has already announced its solar power plan, and this isnt it. Come on, its time to leave this alone.

I think this is a sham company. I wonder how the execs in this company fill their day?

feb7
http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/8537/solarusafeb7vl6.jpg

its been axed?, dam

I reallly thought this would get the go-ahead.

^it will go ahead, but not in Australia it seems? Enviromission will sell to USA and China. bugger

bugger :(

feb12 update
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/927/solarfebnewsrd6.jpg

Goodbye solar tower in Australia :(. Why our government isn't willing to commit to this is way past me. Hopefully Rudd will get in and go full steam ahead with green power projects (without the use of nuclear, if germany can do it we should be able to).

geez, we (australia) never get anything.

I don't think the current government likes the short or long term economics of the whole thing.... they have this idea that they can make coal clean (I've yet to see any evidence that this is the route we should be pursuing but there hasn't exactly been much debate on the issue in this country)

lets hope China and India get hundreds of these soon - my reasoning is obvious.

predictable it seems. 3rd rate country in terms of renewable energy penetration.

any hot country can build these solar towers. all they require for each tower is 500mil.$$

The optimal location is harder than just 'any hot country'. First the land must be flat, the weather is dry heat not humid/tropical heat, had access to national grid and is close to a small town for tourism/maintenance. It cannot rain or have strong humidity because it will interrupt the glass cladding which is essential for night energy generation.

I don't know if the spanish Tower is related to Enviromission, at this moment here in Spain we are waiting for news about its future. It would have 750 meters tall. There is a thread (no news at the moment, sorry) in the spanish forum:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=11784584#post11784584

I made a Google Sketchup Model, If you want to download it, you can see its page. I tell you this, because I want you to modify that model and put the other projects of Solar Towers around the World in Google Earth :D

http://sketchup.google.co.jp/3dwarehouse/details?mid=7272cad2b9e4579cf201b9b256579267

Edit: I believe I wrote here in the past. So many countries and forums that I get lost :lol:

So they have canned the tower. Wonder which country will build the first structure greater than 1000m?

Also has the money the federal government allocated for this project changed hands? Heard a government poly (might have been Howard) last week talk about this tower going ahead. More lies from this Government?

http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/enviromission-promises-power-from-hot-air/2007/02/18/1171733612641.html

EnviroMission promises power from hot air
Vanessa Burrow
February 19, 2007

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/02/18/19B_TOWER_narrowweb__300x375,0.jpg

Going up: design sketch of the giant thermal solar tower EnviroMission plans to build.

ENVIROMISSION is the sort of company that can enrich or burn investors in alternative energy sources — often within one day.

The South Melbourne company plans to build giant solar thermal towers to generate electricity in Australia and the US. News it had collected favourable pre-feasibility information in Texas, sent its shares soaring 79 per cent last Monday to 25¢.

The shares sank back to close the day at 20¢, the highest price in almost a year save for a short-lived 80 per cent spike in October. That blip was based on misguided speculation the company would benefit from a $75 million federal grant.

EnviroMission shares closed at 18¢ on Friday, less than half the peak of 40¢ reached soon after the company listed in 2001.

Analyst Peter Strachan, who publishes the StockAnalysis newsletter, said investors should be wary of such volatile "clean and green companies", labelling them "the new dotcom".

EnviroMission adapted German technology for a base-load station that would generate electricity using solar-heated air.

A canopy with a diameter of five to seven kilometres uses the the sun to heat the air trapped below. The heated air rises, rushing up a kilometre-high tower equipped with turbines.

Chief executive and executive chairman Roger Davey said although final plans had not been drawn up, construction should begin this year on the first power station near Mildura.

Solar radiation data has been collected at the Mildura site and EnviroMission will continue collecting data at two sites in Texas and two in Arizona. EnviroMission would go to the market again to fund construction if required, Mr Davey said.

http://www.enviromission.com.au

Maybe Kevin Rudd should get some heads up on this to bring it into the light a bit ;)

good news. but they should remove he 1km high render and replace with 500m version, which is liuttle higher then ESB.

so is it going ahead then, the full 1km tower?

^the one planned for Burraga near Mildura will be 500m and the spainish tower approx 750m. The ones planned for states are limited to 610m (2000ft). so not sure what heights will be,but maybe a while before we see a 1000m structure.

lame

I agree

I don't care how big the first towers are, i want to see this company kick off, it is a grand idea, and i would hate to see it never built.

I remember seeing the prototype, here in Spain, when I was a Child. I saw it many times, but always far away, from the road. It had 195 meters.

At this moment I believe that I am the only one that has seen a Solar Tower working (in this thread) :D

(Forgive my english, please)

^wow. yes the 200m high prototype was a metal tube? nothing really spectacular but still a working solar tower.
the 50mw 200m manzanares tower

http://peswiki.com/images/0/02/SolarChimneyManzanaresFromAirDusk_300.jpg

^wow. yes the 200m high prototype was a metal tube? nothing really spectacular but still a working solar tower.
the 50mw 200m manzanares tower

http://peswiki.com/images/0/02/SolarChimneyManzanaresFromAirDusk_300.jpg

Yes, that was the prototype. Unfortunately (I remember reading it in the newspaper when I was a child) it collapsed due to high winds and a problem with one of the wires that anchored the tower to the floor in the year 1989.

I use Google translator (In the last month it has turned very, very good) to be sure that I don't commit mistakes writing here. I can practice my english, at least.

Edit: 50 kw, not 50 mw... :D

march16 from enviromission.looks like a merger. i think better chance for USA anyway.


http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/1337/solarmarch16mb4.jpg
http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/2059/solarmarch162zv6.jpg

There are rumours about the spanish tower. In some weeks (but you know,perhaps we'll have to wait for 2 months), the project may be exposed to the public, in order to receive
environmental allegations . If it happens, I will write here. The only thing I can say is that there are regional elections in May, so I believe that, if something is going to happen, it will be before elections.

By the way, I believe that the tower will be placed at the antipodes (40 km from exact place) of the Ruapehu volcano. I know that because I was curious to see which were my antipodes :D

http://map.pequenopolis.com/

Forgive my english ;)

looks like El paso in states will get a 3000ft tower soon.

http://www.josegarzarealtor.com/blog/index.php?blog=2&title=enviromission_confirms_to_build_3_000_ft&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
video>
http://www.kvia.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?clipid1=1304466&at1=News&vt1=v&h1=Enviromission+set+to+build+3,000+ft+solar+tower&d1=186200&redirUrl=www.KVIA.com&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http://www.kvia

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/2323/elpasoiq2.jpg

i just don't get why we are not trying to build one of these here sooner, we've got the perfect weather for it and the tower doesn't need to be near a water source. and not a whimpy half-arse one that has been proposed (well reduced from original proposal). it would be perfect for our hot sunny desert!

^well yes they have assessed a site and all that sorted out but we need $$$$$$$$$$. thus selling it to USA and China.

You see, our government doesn't really care about making an environmental difference, they're just doing what they see is enough to win them the next election and that is it!

^^ It's curious. Personally I think that the same occurs here in Spain... :rofl:

looks like Australia is still forging ahead with its solar tower. latest figure is quoted at 600m high!
nice 3min movie>

http://dsc.discovery.com/beyond/player.html?playerId=203711706&bclid=958525258

Awesome news...I thought it had been canned!!!

^not canned , just put on back burner. It will eventually happen
diagram
its gonna be an impressive structure.
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/1243/solartowercomparisonsoz4.jpg

This was on FOX the other night, show called the "Best of Engineering" I think it is, had some other cool things from around the world to.

^^ No news from spain. Only rumours. Perhaps a strong electric company from spain is offering support to the spanish project, and the administrative procedures continues. Perhaps the year of beginning is 2008, or perhaps the tower won't be built. I don't know.

As soon as I know something about Fuente el Fresno Tower I will tell you.

See you (I hope soon). And forgive my spanglish.

thanks pichuneke. i think this sort of energy technology will have to take some convincing and requires some help with funding. but that aside, the first of these towers should be built within 10 years either in Spain, China, USA or outback Australia.the race is on. i wonder if they will all differ in height? knowing Australia we will probably get the 600m version while spain will get 750m and china and USA the 1km project. bugger.

Awesome video clip, thanks. Enough power for 100,000 homes. How many homes are there in a city?? Or how many homes in the rural areas?? Can one of these things keep a large area of rural Australia electrified?? How does this compare to a coal fired power station?

^^ You have a comparison chart with other "clean" energies... in spanish.

http://www.ingenieriacampo3.com/?url=torre+solar+50mw+comparativa+con+otras+energias&corp=ingenieriacampo3&lang=es&mode=view

But the equivalent words to english are very similar, I believe you will understand them.

Or you can use Google Translator :D :

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenieriacampo3.com%2F%3Furl%3Dtorre%2Bsolar%2B50mw%2Bcomparativa%2Bcon%2Botras%2Benergias%26corp%3Dingenieriacampo3%26lang%3Des%26mode%3Dview&langpair=es%7Cen&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools

(And visit the rest of the page, with information about the spanish project)

Note 1: año = year

Note 2: Your questions are answered in this link:
http://www.ingenieriacampo3.com/?url=torre+solar+50mw+la+chimenea+de+fuente+el+fresno+capacidad+de+producci%F3n&corp=ingenieriacampo3&lang=es&mode=view (spanish)
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenieriacampo3.com%2F%3Furl%3Dtorre%2Bsolar%2B50mw%2Bla%2Bchimenea%2Bde%2Bfuente%2Bel%2Bfresno%2Bcapacidad%2Bde%2Bproducci%25F3n%26corp%3Dingenieriacampo3%26lang%3Des%26mode%3Dview&langpair=es%7Cen&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools (google translation)

Thanks pichuneke. 50Mw. I think the coal fired powerstations are up around 800Mw or more.

Thanks pichuneke. 50Mw. I think the coal fired powerstations are up around 800Mw or more.

The coal Plants of Puertollano (in the area of Spain where I live) are about 100 - 150 Mw, One of them was the first prototype of "combined cycle" (I don't know its technical name in english). It transforms coal into CO, avoiding a lot of contamination.

the latest
final report for june30/07
in chapter 4E, it mentions they are finalising model and costings for project to be announced next quarter.
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA359.pdf

the latest
final report for june30/07
in chapter 4E, it mentions they are finalising model and costings for project to be announced next quarter.
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA359.pdf

Nice. I just wish the government would cough up the money and get this thing underway.

^yes, they (GOV) seem to want all this renewable energy but dont want to fund it or help out?

Stupid! You'd think the Government would be all over this. It'll be the biggest thing in this country, therefore a tourist attraction and very very well known in it's own right, and it'll be environmentally friendly. Perfect for a government that's doing little but wants to be seen to be doing alot about the environment.

The Howard government doesnt believe in climate change or the need for renewable enerygy. They only started to talk about it cos the polls said people were interested and very concerned about it.

i dont think it will be that big of a tourist attraction.

^i tend to agree. its along way to go to see a 2000ft chimney.
Someone like me would appreciate it, but average person wouldnt give a hoot.
Id like to go on a tour and lift to the top which would easily worlds highest ob deck.,but cant see much from up there only paddocks and cows.m000.
Maybe if it was the intended 1km high,it would definatley be a world wide attraction.
but i cant see a 1km tower being built for quite a while if at all.
Looks like they realised it was just to big of a engineering feat.
600m and 65m diam would still be hUge structure.

^i tend to agree. its along way to go to see a 2000ft chimney.
Someone like me would appreciate it, but average person wouldnt give a hoot.
Id like to go on a tour and lift to the top which would easily worlds highest ob deck.,but cant see much from up there only paddocks and cows.m000.
Maybe if it was the intended 1km high,it would definatley be a world wide attraction.
but i cant see a 1km tower being built for quite a while if at all.
Looks like they realised it was just to big of a engineering feat.
600m and 65m diam would still be hUge structure.

Cul,

If they spend an extra 50MM on a cheap runway, a Motel 8, a KFC, a maccas, a Krusty Kreme and a few vending machines - the untethered masses will follow.

Jetstar will make a packet.

:cheers:

js

^your prob right.
i reckon if someone waved this project in front of a Dubain shiek they would build one just for fun .
just outside of Dubai, so they can have first large scale solar tower.

^i tend to agree. its along way to go to see a 2000ft chimney.
Someone like me would appreciate it, but average person wouldnt give a hoot.
Id like to go on a tour and lift to the top which would easily worlds highest ob deck.,but cant see much from up there only paddocks and cows.m000.

lol @ cows & paddocks, more like a desert landscape filled with mallee bush. It definitely wont do much for tourism, as no one will drive miles to see a 600m eyesore (thats what many people are going to see it as) and a view of nothing. Though it will still give the Sunraysia Region (includes Mildura) a boast, unless the top level is not made a observation deck. However Mildura has already got a end less supply of attractions (mostly family based).

Maybe they should make a tower of terror amusement ride down one side of it! Or something like that tower in Las Vegas has.

^i tend to agree. its along way to go to see a 2000ft chimney.
Someone like me would appreciate it, but average person wouldnt give a hoot.
Id like to go on a tour and lift to the top which would easily worlds highest ob deck.,but cant see much from up there only paddocks and cows.m000.
Maybe if it was the intended 1km high,it would definatley be a world wide attraction.
but i cant see a 1km tower being built for quite a while if at all.
Looks like they realised it was just to big of a engineering feat.
600m and 65m diam would still be hUge structure.

more like they realised that they're just too big a wimps.

doesn't take much research to discover that anything cool ever proposed in Australia was cancelled.

it isnt cancelled just scaled down to an achievable project.

Cul,

If they spend an extra 50MM on a cheap runway, a Motel 8, a KFC, a maccas, a Krusty Kreme and a few vending machines - the untethered masses will follow.

Jetstar will make a packet.

:cheers:

js
Lol! The latest bogan tourist attraction! They'll all think it's a giant winnie blue!

the latest newsletter just says the aussie company wont be joining the yank company to build solar towers.
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA366.pdf

I think that this company is really waiting for a Carbon Trading Scheme to get introduced because so far, this project is not financially viable.

The national taskforce trading scheme is investigating it and will hand over the report next year. The actual trading scheme will begin by 2010. All states and territories governments are included. Federal government is not.

http://www.emissionstrading.nsw.gov.au/

Well, there's speculation the Coalition will me-too Labor's renewable energy target, so we'll see. Then again, they'll lose, so maybe not.

far out why does everything take so bloody long this has been going on for years....

I don't think it is about government support it is whether it can make money. With cost of construction rising can it produce enough power to be worthwhile the are other cheaper solar power options out there.
A carbon trading system may make it more attractive in that way.

Nice. I just wish the government would cough up the money and get this thing underway.

We should be paying the former government to produce electricity. The amount of hot air coming from Howard and Costello will power up this country for at least another ten years.

Since both are no longer in frontbench, they should do Australia a favour by sticking their mouth underneath the chimney to generate kinetic energy.

latest sookie lala letter.
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA372.pdf
Chairman davey is basically saying hopefully labor Gov will take a step forward and get interested in funding the project.

Do the sookie lala's have any money left?

http://blogs.theage.com.au/screenplay/archives/License%20to%20Print%20Money.gif

the latest
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA376.pdf
sounds positive.
if this was planned for Dubai, it would be built by now.

the latest
http://www.enviromission.com.au/financial/EVM%20CA376.pdf
sounds positive.
if this was planned for Dubai, it would be built by now.

It sounds like a lot of woffle and spin-doctoring to me.

They say there is a big heat sink in Cities...because of all the concrete and bitumen etc....Why not put the Solar Tower in the centre of a CBD...Office space around the internal hollow core...and the radiating glass cone as a huge plaza.....OK it would be windy....sorry stupid idea ..forget it...just looking for any way of getting a supertall.....hmmm why not incorporate similar technology within tall buildings....I have referred before the volume of water falling down a large building from bathrooms could run turbine generation equipment....?

The thing will never get built. Construction Costs are far too high per MW of output capacity. There are far more promising solar technologies that will provide far greater cost efficiencies (i.e. AUSRA's solar thermal technology) that are currently being commercialised in the USA.

Construction costs are to high in a booming economy....they would greatly reduce in a recession!

In other news a $7m solar power station will be built in Coober Pedy, which will be the biggest in Australia. Really they should be building a $500m solar power station, for most of SA's power needs especially that it gets so hot up there.

^ and you don't even need to go that far north, put it just above port augusta and you're set!

^^It could power Spencer Gulf Densal Plant, Olympic Dam, or any other major mines up there ;)

$7mil solar station and thats australias largest?? thats pathetic. really tells you where gov priorities are.
the state gov should be pulling there finger out and actually place funds towards creating alternate energy sources.
yes, the solar tower is expensive compared to the power it outputs but why shouldnt they just give it a go and see what happens.
its a world first.
lets take the plunge for fuksake

^ because coal is so cheap (in the short term but is going to be extremely expensive in many ways over time, but all governements only care about the short term)

^^It could power Spencer Gulf Densal Plant, Olympic Dam, or any other major mines up there ;)

and still be close enough to easily pump masses of power into the national grid. there's enough space up there to build it big enough to power desal plants that could irrigate the whole eyre peninsular. and the visionaries are stuck on ssc. :)

yeah, but they would think differently if petroleum dried up tommorrow, we would be screwed.. unless scientists already have alternate fuel and ordered to keep quiet until its time ;-)

It's the same old conspiracy - energy companies holding onto milking what they can out of oil because at the top of the pyramid there is really only a select few pulling the strings.

If they really wanted to, alternative energy sources could seriously be developed. Hydrogen accounts for 93% of all the atoms in the universe. They are forever telling us of it's disadvantages. I bet if oil ceased to be available immediately, Hydrogen might suddenly be more viable. The players involved would need some guarantee that profit margins can be sustained but the thing is Hydrogen is common. The argument against it being common is that it is NOT common in a natural form. It takes inefficient electrolysis to extract it or some other far from economically viable method. There seems to be very little 'true' incentive to search for an economical method of extracting hydrogen.

The point is that there is a competing solar technology that is far more efficent on an output/construction & operating cost basis than the solar tower. Why would you build a concrete tower half a kilometre high for $500 million that generates enough power for 100,000 homes when you could build a solar thermal plant that generates the same amount of power for $250 million. The government is happy to throw money at renewable technologies that have long term potention to generate low cost power.....the solar tower is yet to demonstrate this capability

Which solar thermal technology are you talking about there?

Technology like that which has been demonstrated at ANU
http://engnet.anu.edu.au/DEresearch/solarthermal/
There are several technologies out there which could compete with and be cheaper to construct than the 600m tower.

The point is that there is a competing solar technology that is far more efficent on an output/construction & operating cost basis than the solar tower. Why would you build a concrete tower half a kilometre high for $500 million that generates enough power for 100,000 homes when you could build a solar thermal plant that generates the same amount of power for $250 million. The government is happy to throw money at renewable technologies that have long term potention to generate low cost power.....the solar tower is yet to demonstrate this capability

Well we should just import some slaves to build them then.

In other news a $7m solar power station will be built in Coober Pedy, which will be the biggest in Australia. Really they should be building a $500m solar power station, for most of SA's power needs especially that it gets so hot up there.

What the? Solar Systems, a Melbourne company, is building a $420m, 154MW, solar power station near Mildura.... The largest and most advanced of its type in the world.

It will receive $75m of funding from the Federal Government, and $50m from the Victorian Government....

http://www.solarsystems.com.au/154MWVictorianProject.html

It has just announced a collateral project to build a Hydrogen fuel plant, attached to the power plant...

Hydrogen fuel plant to use heat from solar power station


Geoff Strong
February 22, 2008
Latest related coverage


A MELBOURNE company is developing the world's first commercial plant using solar energy to make hydrogen gas — a clean fuel that can run cars or generate electricity, without producing greenhouse gases.

The $60 million project, based on an Australian breakthrough, aims to achieve science's elusive quest to convert solar energy into a fuel that can be stored and used when needed.

The developer, Solar Systems, of Hawthorn, is also building the $450 million Mildura solar power station due to start generating electricity in 2010. The solar hydrogen project will be attached to the power station or to a smaller demonstration power plant being built at Bridgewater, near Bendigo.

The project is possible because of technology developed by one of the company founders, John Lasich. In 1991 he discovered a new technique to perform electrolysis, the most common way of producing hydrogen gas, by passing an electric current through water.

He says this technology is now commercially feasible because it can be wed to a solar electricity plant, taking excess heat.

Mr Lasich says the project, which has backing from federal and state governments and private investors, will initially be a demonstration plant built over seven years, which will produce the equivalent of about one megawatt of power a day, when fully commissioned.

Storing power generated by clean means such as solar or wind is regarded as the Holy Grail of renewable energy.

Electrolysis is used to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen, but present technology is quite inefficient, even using solar power. At room temperature every 100 watts of electricity produces just 60 watts of hydrogen.

Mr Lasich's technique heats the water to 1000 degrees Celsius, a temperature at which the process delivers 140 watts worth of hydrogen for every 100 watts of electricity.

The plant will work by filtering off infra-red rays from sunlight hitting the cells of the solar power station.

The hydrogen would be stored and used to produce power after dark, by converting it directly to electricity through a fuel cell or reverse electrolysis, or using it to power a generator.

Several car makers have touted hydrogen as an alternative fuel to power engines. But supply problems with hydrogen have been a deterrent. Most hydrogen gas now produced is a byproduct of petroleum.

Mr Lasich believes that hydrogen fuel can be produced for a similar price to petrol.

"If it is used in a car specially designed to run on it, its higher flame temperature means it is about 30 per cent more efficient than petrol," he says.

"This technology is a byproduct of our solar power station, we have developed it as something we can roll off the end once we get the power station up and running.

"We think that once we demonstrate it on a commercial scale, in the current climate there will be global demand."

http://www.theage.com.au/news/environment/hydrogen-plant-solar-solution/2008/02/21/1203467284218.html

Technology like that which has been demonstrated at ANU
http://engnet.anu.edu.au/DEresearch/solarthermal/
There are several technologies out there which could compete with and be cheaper to construct than the 600m tower.

From what I could see these technologies were unable to provide baseload power without the use of batteries. The solar tower also has the ability of becoming a tourist attraction (well for one or two anyway) because of the observation deck.

I believe solar thermal has its place in suburban parks and on buildings roofs however to provide electricity at the source.

From what I could see these technologies were unable to provide baseload power without the use of batteries. The solar tower also has the ability of becoming a tourist attraction (well for one or two anyway) because of the observation deck.

I believe solar thermal has its place in suburban parks and on buildings roofs however to provide electricity at the source.

There are a couple which can store heat for long periods using molten salts (600C) and release it when the sun doesn't shine therefore giving 24h operation like the solar tower (New Scientist 8 December 2007)

See the following link:

http://www.ausra.com/

This is probably the most promising for scale up to base load power at a price that may ultimately be competitive with gas fired generation in may markets

The Solar Systems technology above is also promising though in my view not as good as AUSRA's. The AUSRA technology is currenetly being commercialised through a JV with 2 very large United States Utilities. It is an example of an Australian developed technology that could not get sufficient venture capital and government funding in this country so had to go offshore.....what a pity !

the latest, looks like we missed it last week? anyone see it?
sounds good for the American project

Solar Tower to Marvel on History Channel

Solar Tower marvels the imagination at History Channel's "Modern Marvels" program on February 28 at 11pm and February 29 at 3:00am.

"Modern Marvels" includes EnviroMission's Solar Tower technology in a series about environmental technologies and innovations 'designed to hold off global warming meltdown.'

Viewers can see how a Solar Tower power station will use energy from the sun to generate clean electricity and learn how clean electricity technologies, like Solar Towers, are key in the global challenge to global warming.

Solar Towers are planned for development in the south west corner of the US at locations with high to extreme levels of solar radiation to increase the economic and environmental benefits from the technology's marvelous renewable energy capability.

"EnviroMission values the inclusion of Solar Tower technology in the 'Modern Marvels Environmental Technologies II' series, because the program's viewers that stand to immediately benefit from the environmental benefits of the development of Solar Towers are the same viewers that can influence environmental decisions and outcomes for future generations using the information and experiences available to them today.

"The program will be an excellent opportunity for many people to see the iconic design of a Solar Tower for the first time and better understand how it will make clean power when it is developed in the US," EnviroMission Chief Executive, Roger Davey, said.

Maybe you enjoy this thread: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=597291

^maybe? but only if i could read spanish.lol

sounds interesting?
http://greenwombat.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/torresol2.gif?w=503&h=336

March 12, 2008
Abu Dhabi’s solar venture

Abu Dhabi is not content to just sell you the oil that fuels your SUV; now its going to sell you sunshine to keep your lights on and power your electric car when the internal combustion engine goes the way of the buggy whip. Masdar, the oil-rich emirate’s $15 billion renewable energy venture, and Spanish technology company Sener on Wednesday announced a joint venture called Torresol Energy to build large-scale solar power plants in Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the United States.

Torresol initially will invest $1.2 billion in three solar power plants to be built in Spain but the company is targeting the global “sunbelt” for future expansion. Masdar will take a 60 percent ownership stake in Torresol with Sener holding a 40 percent stake. A Torresol spokesman declined to reveal the dollar amount of the investment. A prime market for Torresol will be the U.S. desert Southwest, where companies like Ausra, BrightSource Energy, Solel and Abengoa Solar are competing for contracts with utilities PG&E (PCG), Arizona Public Service (PNW) and Southern California Edison (EIX). Torresol potentially could shake up that market, given its very deep pockets and ability to independently finance billion-dollar solar power plants.

The venture is just the latest move by Abu Dhabi to control what Masdar CEO Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber described to Green Wombat recently as “the whole value chain” of renewable energy, from research and development to manufacturing silicon for solar cells to the large-scale deployment of green technology.

The irony is too rich to leave unsaid: A leading oil producer invests billions in carbon-free energy while a leading consumer of fossil fuels - the United States - continues to subsidize Big Oil while while offering only tepid support for green technology. It is inevitable that climate change will foster the rise of renewable energy - the only question is which countries and companies will profit from the new energy economics. It is entirely possible that the U.S. will trade energy dependence of one kind - on Middle East oil - for another - on Middle East and European solar technology - in the era of global warming. It’s no coincidence that most of the solar energy companies with contracts to build utility-scale power plants in California and the Southwest have overseas roots - Ausra hails from Australia, BrightSource was founded by American-Israeli pioneer Arnold Goldman, Solel is based in Israel and Abengoa is headquartered in Spain.

Torresol plans to build solar power plants using a technology it calls a Central Tower Receiver system. It’s similar to technology used by competitors like BrightSource in that fields of mirrors called heliostats focus the sun’s rays on tower that contains a receiver. In this case the receiver is filled with salt which when heated vaporizes water to create steam that drives an electricity-generating turbine. The company says it intends to have 500 megawatts of solar electricity online by 2012.

We should really be leaders in this technology but just like the old US dinosaur our government is in bed with the redundant fossil fuel industry.

whats wrong with being in bed with the US? i get what you mean about the fossil fuels though.

We should really be leaders in this technology but just like the old US dinosaur our government is in bed with the redundant fossil fuel industry.

Well actually, the US is one of the leading countries in renewables. In Wind power the US constitutes much of the world growth for example. With a domestic growth of 43 % last year.

It's not terribly bad in solar power either. There are for example over a million homes who power themselves through solar panels on their roofs. The US also have the largest electricity generating solar plants in the world (mojave desert)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_the_United_States

Ofcourse, it's nothing like Germany or the nordic countries yet. But in terms of growth the US is - perhaps despite the federal government- leading the way...

I wouldn't be surprised if Texas would be the first to build this sort of tower. It is also one of the areas with most windpower - T. Boone Pickens is building the largest windfarm in the world there now, 4000 megawatt - enough to power 1 million households approxomately. :)

(AEEVM) EnviroMission seeks control of Solar Tower development
177 words
11 March 2008
Ralph Wragg Australian Business News
English
Copyright 2008 RWE AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS NEWS PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Sydney - Tuesday - March 11: (RWE Australian Business News) - EnviroMission Ltd (ASX:EVM) says it is set to make a share exchange offer to individual SolarMission Technologies Inc (SMT) shareholders and warrant holders in a move to gain majority ownership of the US-based Solar Tower development company.

This would give it ultimate control of global Solar Tower development rights.

EnviroMission proposes to offer three of its ordinary shares for each issued and outstanding SMT common share, and two EnviroMission ordinary shares for each issued and outstanding SMT warrant.

This offer is subject to a condition that EnviroMission successfully acquires at least a majority shareholding in SMT to ensure it has the key decisionmaking role in future Solar Tower development.

"EnviroMission and SMT have historically worked together to promote and develop Solar Tower technology," EnviroMission chief executive Mr Roger Davey said.

"Completion of the proposed share exchange offer will help to enhance overall development prospects, and aims to create a clear and autonomous development mandate in all markets," he said.

i think they should do it. someting has to happen. im over this whole project.
i want them to start on the buronga tower asap. just to say we have the first and a halfkm tall structure in oz would be nice.

whats wrong with being in bed with the US? i get what you mean about the fossil fuels though.

Actually the Howard Government was the leading conspirator in the fossil fuel lobby against green technology, not the current administration. They got into our bed. :ohno:

Looks like 'Namibia' is getting a 1.5km solar tower before us. Yes, a third world country is getting it before us. How embarrassing.

http://www.afriquenligne.fr/sa-firm-plans-us%24-150-mln-solar-tower-in-namibia-200807299785.html

Windhoek, Namibia - A South African intellectual property firm Hanh & Hahn says it is planning a US$ 150 million 400 mega watt solar tower in Namibia as it moves to plug the gap in energy supply in the electricity starved southern African nation.

The solar tower, named Greentower, will be 1.5 kilometres high and 280 metres in diameter and will work by causing an updraft to the drive turbines, generating 400 MW of electricity.

Air within the solar tower is heated in a large circular greenhouse like structure, and the resulting convection causes the air to rise and escape through the tower.

The moving air drives turbines, which then produces electricity.

Hahn & Hahn managing director Alan Dunlop said Tuesday that the project had been approved by the Namibian government, adding that national power utility is partially funding a feasibility study.

But a senior government official has denied knowledge of the project.

Joseph Iita, permanent secretary in the ministry of mines and energy, said that government was not aware of the proposed solar tower, adding that 'fly-by-night' investors were flooding government with applications for energy generation projects.

“We have so many offers but we are only prepared to work with serious investors and despite so many investors showing interest in the field of energy generation, we haven't seen any project taking off,” Iita said.

Iita also said that government had not made any commitment to fund the ambitious solar power project.

Earlier, Dunlop said that the base of the tower will incorporate a 37-km2 greenhouse, in which cash crops can be grown.

The greenhouse will be used to develop soil humus to transform barren land to fertile soil that retains moisture and nutrients to enable rapid plant propagation.

Dunlop says that studies have shown that plant-linked humidity does not reduce the uplift in the tower by which the turbines are driven, and even represents a store of latent energy that can be drawn on after sunset.

Water for the plants in the greenhouse can be supplied by desalinating sea water or purifying groundwater, using known technology and a supply of energy, which is only a small fraction of the energy generated.

Solar tower technology has been slow to develop over the years.

Between 1979 and 1989, a German engineer is reported to have designed a solar to wer 200 metres high, which was built in Spain and financed by a grant from the German government.

The tower ran trouble free for eight years, producing 50 kW of electricity until it was decommissioned.

Windhoek - 29/07/2008

wow 1.5km tall, 280m dia? like to see that.
website>
www.greentower.net
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2794487073_49a8b9523a_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3069/2794487081_2caf2fd900_o.jpg

so it would be the largest free-standing structure in the world yeah?