It is all about trying to capture maximum possible sunlight and converting it in the best possible way in to energy. That is what designers and scientists across the world are constantly thinking about and the proposed gigantic Solar Tower in Namibia is designed to do exactly that. At one and a half kilometers high and 280 meters wide – bigger than two soccer fields back-to-back – the tower could provide electricity for the whole of the Namibian capital Windhoek.
The operation of a solar tower involves heating air inside a vast transparent tent, several kilometers in diameter, at the base of the tower. This hot air rises inside a tall concrete chimney, driving wind turbines linked to generators. The tent can also be used to grow crops. The proposed tower is about three times larger than anything similar on earth and though its running costs would be low, construction would cost at least a whooping $900 million. So is it really something possible?
It has also been shown that solar chimney power plants can produce power at night. The water used for crops is heated during sunny weather and this heat is released back into the air during the night or during cloudy weather to keep the turbines going. No extra water is required – an important issue for a desert country such as Namibia. The Namibian government has agreed to cover half the costs of the US$780,000 pre-feasibility report once private funding has been obtained. Hopefully the tower will soon start taking shape in a more concrete way and once it does, we will be there for sure to let you know how it is coming along.
Via: scidev
