There are a number of alternative power sources being explored
in the world today. Whether you consider hydropower, solar power, or even the
use of methane hydrate, you are looking at alternative sources. Each source, of
course, has its pros and cons, but the idea is to find better alternatives to
what is used now: fossil fuels. One such source is the solar chimney
By taking a look at what the solar chimney is and how it compares to the other
types of alternative energy, you can better decide if you think it is the right
source of alternative energy.
What is a Solar Chimney?
A solar chimney is often times called a solar updraft tower. This is a type of
power plant where the energy would be renewable. The way it works is that air is
warmed in a circular structure that is not totally unlike a greenhouse. As the
air heats, it rises. Eventually it comes up through a long tower. This air, as
it moves, turns turbines, which turn generators and create electricity.
How Big is a Solar Chimney Plant?
Basically, the amount of energy that can be produced by a solar updraft power
plant is directly related to the size. The size of the area where the air is
collected as well as the size of the updraft chimney are the biggest factors. In
order to get the most from the plants, collection areas as big as 7 kilometers
in diameter and chimneys as tall as 1000 meters have been considered as options.
Are they in Use?
Currently, there are no solar chimneys in use for the sake of power. However, in
the 1980’s, there was one built as a way to research the process. It was in
Manzanares, which is about 150 kilometers south of Madrid. The plant worked with
good results for 8 years. This has made many optimistic about the use of solar
chimneys as an alternative source of renewable energy.
How does it Stack Up?
The best comparison that can be made is with wind energy since it is moving air
that produces the current with a solar chimney. However, unlike with a wind farm
or with wind generated energy, there is no need to store the energy to account
for weather conditions. With a solar tower, research has shown that thermal
storage with salt water ponds and other heat absorbing materials, much of the
heat can be stored back to make them even more efficient.
Traditional solar power converts energy from the sun into warm water or warm
air, but with an updraft chimney, there is no need for the silicon treated
panels that get used with home solar platforms. Instead, the heat is used to
warm air and basically create an upward wind to turn the turbines. This makes it
much more efficient in many cases. Additionally, the energy is made to be stored
in water and other thermal storage devices that would make it functional even at
times when the sun is down or there are clouds in the sky. Still, it is obvious
that locations would need as much sunlight as possible.
The solar chimney is one of the many alternative sources of power that are
considered feasible for commercial use. The models being developed by engineers
so that it can be better determined what the cost would be in capturing energy
for electricity in this way. However, because a functional commercial unit would
have a tower a kilometer tall and storage unit around 7 kilometers in diameter,
there would likely be a tourism factor. It would be a novelty both in its use
and in its size.
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