3 ms·

Do you seriously get surplus energy despite pumping water from 46 miles away and then 2000+ ft up in the air?

• mmphosis 14y ago
  I was wondering about that too. Plus the energy required to desalinate the seawater. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_tower http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_tower (downdraft) My first thought was that they were building an updraft tower. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower http://www.livescience.com/2644-giant-solar-tower-power-future.html http://www.livescience.com/2644-giant-solar-tower-power-futu...
  • ndonnellan 14y ago
    Me too. The difference is that a solar chimney makes sense, kinda. I have no idea what this downdraft tower nonsense is. Converting potential energy to kinetic? 46 miles of pumping expensive water?
    • richardjordan 14y ago
      Right... I've heard of the concentrated solar towers which create an updraft to drive turbines in a very tall chimney, and seen suggestions that they COULD be made to be net energy return on energy investment positive. But this one is pretty new to me. I think it's time to pop over to see what the folks on TheOilDrum.com have had to say about this - they must have seen it and are probably ripping it apart by now.
  • brc 14y ago
    From your link: "no data on a working pilot plant have ever been collected." I smell snake oil.