There’s a joke to be made about giant phallic symbols built on Australian sheep farms, but not before my coffee. The 3,280-foot tall solar tower idea first tossed around a few years ago is on it’s way to actually happening, now that land in the Australian outback has been secured. When finished, the tower will effectively work like a chimney, collecting solar energy to warm air that then rises at speeds of thirty-five mph to spin a series of turbines that generate electricity. So, kind of like a wind farm without the need for consistently good kite weather.
Construction won’t begin until 2006, but Roger Davey, chairman of EnviroMission Limited, calls the purchase of the land a “very big step” towards getting the project underway. Who among us doesn’t recall the excitement of their first sheep farm purchase?
Solar Tower of Power Finds Home [WiredNews]
