Wind turbines

[freebeard]

Maybe it's time to try solar chimneys?

www.mdpi.com: Solar Chimney Components: Construction and Materials

Figure 6. (a) Glass roof of the prototype plant at Manzanares, Spain [18]; (b) the collector design [5].

The majority of the solar radiation passes through the collector, and a fraction of the radiation is directly absorbed by the system’s air. The soil and the system’s air emit long-wavelength radiation due to the solar radiation that is absorbed and trapped, and due to the collector, which is almost opaque to this long-wavelength radiation (transmittance 0.01), generating a greenhouse effect. The radiation effect under the collector increases the system temperature (Figure 6b and Figure 7a) [5]. Continuous heat transfer occurs between the collector, the system’s air, and the ground (Figure 7b) [19].

Power and vegetables from a single source. Until it snows?

[aerohead]

Haven't heard anything about them is a long time. A massive installation was planned in Australia, but never heard any follow up reporting.

[Piotrsko]

Where in Australia? Going there next month, could possibly attempt research

[freebeard]

Quick search first result:

www.dw.com: World’s Tallest Solar Chimney Going Up Down Under

The skyline of the small town of Mildura in northern Victoria in the rugged Australian outback is about to change drastically.
....
At its planned height of 1 kilometer (.62 mile) and a diameter of 170 metres, the solar tower will have wind speeds of 54 kilometres per hour that will produce an estimated 200 megawatts of electricity – enough to supply 200,000 households per year, says Schiel.

Construction on the solar power station is expected to begin by mid 2003 and the plant is expected to be up and running by 2005.

The (steel tower) one in Spain blew over in the wind, this one was to be concrete. The only reasonable design I saw was an inflatable tower. That way you can have sections inflated with Helium.

[redpoint5]

I'm looking forward to 2005 when it's completed.