San Luis Energy Tower Frequently Asked Questions
Posted by admin on Oct 5th, 2012
Source: PR Newswire via Phoenix Business Journal
Downdraft tower
Clean Wind Energy Tower, Inc., is proposing a downdraft tower more than one-half mile tall in the desert outside of San Luis (AZBEX, April 10th). The proposed 3,000-foot tall cylinder—almost three times the height of the Empire State Building—will be the tallest structure in the world if it is constructed. The current record-holder, the Burj Khalifa multi-use tower in Dubai, is around 2,700 feet tall.
The completely new technology has generated a number of questions, and the company’s president and CEO, Ronald W. Pickett, answered a number of them in a news release.
Two AZBEX-relevant questions are:
Q. Given recent news that the Downdraft Tower could be lowered in height from 3,000 feet tall to 2,250 feet, how much electricity does the Company estimate the shorter tower could produce?
A. After evaluating the actual atmospheric and local weather data in the San Luis, Arizona as well as the San Luis, Mexico area, the Company estimates that the 2,250 foot Tower in that region should produce over 700 megawatt hours of saleable energy over an average day, 365 days a year. The actual output can range from as low as 300 megawatt hours to a cap of 1,200 megawatt hours.
Q. In terms of US dollars, how much would 700 megawatt hours equate to?
A. That depends, of course, on the terms of the contract or contracts to sell the power. Using the estimate of 0.11/kilowatt hour, which roughly equates to the avoided cost in California, an average hourly output 24/7/365 could generate approximately $700,000,000 in gross annual revenues.
In addition to constructing Downdraft Towers in the United States and abroad, the Company intends to establish partnerships at domestic and global partnerships to meet increasing global demand for clean water and electricity. Clean Wind has assembled a team of experienced business professionals, engineers and scientists with access to the breakthrough energy research upon which this technology is founded and the proven ability to bring the idea to market.