Tallest tower in the world planned for the Outback

Tallest tower in the world planned for the Outback
By Paul Peachey
04 January 2003


A power company plans to build a 1,000m-high (3,280ft) solar tower in the outback of Australia that would dwarf the world's tallest structures. The tower, as wide as a football pitch and set in the centre of a glass dish 4 miles across, would cost A$1bn (�350m) to build as part of a global drive to use more renewable energy.

If completed as planned in 2006, the tower in New South Wales would be more than twice the height of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, which stand at 452m. Currently, the tallest free-standing structure is the Canadian National Tower in Toronto, at 553m.

The project is backed by the government. The company behind it, EnviroMission, hopes the 200MW solar tower will provide enough power to supply 200,000 homes a year.

The sun heats air under the glass and as the hot air rises an updraft is created in the tower that allows air to be sucked through 32 turbines, which generate power. Roger Davey, chief executive officer of EnviroMission, said: "Initially people told me 'you're a dreamer'. But now we have got to the point where it's not if it can be built, but when."


Credit Texan.

news.independent.co.uk...

Hey you blowhard I demand you delete this statement I posted it first!

The "New power created by the aussies" thread one...a bit back...

I DEMAND COPYWRITE

Sincerely,
no signature

You know us aussies, any opportunity to show off australia.


Hence the double post.


I suppose the Kiwis will have to build a taller one now.

I thought New Zealand was a defacto state of Australia.

Damm That thing is going to be HUGE!

Australia, Australia, uber alles... uber alles im dem wald...

Uh, anways, yeah, I have heard of that before. Other solar plants use individual mirrors that focus on a heating spot. It heats molten sodium that then boils water to turn turbines, if I recall correctly. Really neat stuff, plus IIRC it's a lot more efficient then using photoelectric cells.

Ground is supposed to be broken sometime in 2006 and China plans on building 7 or 8 of these beasts. The bonus part is that the glass structure acts like a greenhouse so some types of crops can be grown in what was formerly desert terrain.

Originally posted by sardion2000
The bonus part is that the glass structure acts like a greenhouse so some types of crops can be grown in what was formerly desert terrain.

Well, if you water it.. in which case any desert terrain can grow crops, eh?

here`s a better link with a pic and video

I hav`nt checked out the video yet,but i will

Edit to add-just checked out the video and its well worth checking out,awsome.

gristmill.grist.org...



[edit on 3-10-2005 by gps777]

www.enviromission.com.au...

This is the link to Enviromission who are building this tower.

You would need about 20 of these towers to service Sydney as an example if I read this correctly - 200,000 homes. As for growing crops perhaps you could grow a few potatoes and beans etc to feed the workers, not much else.

That said, still a great initiative.

I posted some info on the same subject in November 2004.

www.abovetopsecret.com...'

They're talking about 50MW from the tower. Unfortunately that isn't an awful lot of power. A large Soviet RBMK-1000 reactor can put out 1000MW thermal, and the larger RBMK-1500 variant can put out 1500MW. (Just need to be careful when running it and improve some safety systems since the reactor is graphite-moderated instead of water-moderated.)

Funny that you mention growing beans for the workers, RACIST!

j/k

Well, this sounded really cool until fox just laid that on us...

Personally, I don't think we should build it because it may be a target for terrorists. I don't think we should ever build anything again that terrorists can attack. We should halt all human progress because of terrorists.

Zip

Originally posted by shbaz

Originally posted by sardion2000
The bonus part is that the glass structure acts like a greenhouse so some types of crops can be grown in what was formerly desert terrain.

Well, if you water it.. in which case any desert terrain can grow crops, eh?

Condesation happens as does shrub growth without any intervention on our part, just take advantage of it.

Originally posted by Zipdot
Funny that you mention growing beans for the workers, RACIST! Zip

Are you calling me a racist?

My comment was merely intended to point out that you can’t grow much in an area of the size quoted other than vegetables to feed the workers. Don’t jump to conclusions if that is what you have done.

J/k means "just kidding." Immediately following that comment, I said, "j/k."

Zip

Hay guys, stay cool!

Anyways, it's very clean, but I still think that nuclear power is the cleanest, most efficient energy source out there. The new pebble-bed designs are also quite interesting.

The only thing I don't like about them is that the fuel apparently consists of uranium inside a graphite "gumball" and the system is cooled with helium. My concern is if the reaction would speed up in the event of a LOCA (loss-of-coolant-accident) because of the graphite, like in an RBMK reactor.

Of course, the question is pollution vs. energy vs. infrastructure price and impact.

yeah cool idea.
should be fun

just want to point out that the aussie dollar is worth 76 us cents
so if it cost one billion to build it is 760 million US