Energy/SUT

Solar updraft tower <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower</ref>

Advantages

• Life span = 80 years. <ref>http://social.csptoday.com/technology/solar-updraft-tower-technology-not-all-hot-air</ref>
• Low maintenance costs.
  • Cost for 40 years around 1 million USD <ref> http://www.architecture.mit.edu/sites/all/files/attachments/lecture/SolarUpdraftTower_Project.pdf </ref>
• Produces greenhouse areas that can be used for agriculture.
• Produces energy at night (at a reduced rate) <ref>http://www.architecture.mit.edu/sites/all/files/attachments/lecture/SolarUpdraftTower_Project.pdf</ref>
• Produces energy when overcast <ref>http://www.architecture.mit.edu/sites/all/files/attachments/lecture/SolarUpdraftTower_Project.pdf</ref>
• May be able to desalinate water via condensation <ref>http://inhabitat.com/solar-updraft-towers-in-namibia/attachment/14194/</ref>

Disadvantages

• Takes up a relatively large amount of space.<ref>http://educypedia.karadimov.info/library/Solar%20Updraft%20Towers.pdf</ref>

Economic analysis

• Cost per Watt of capacity = 4 EUR <ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower</ref>
• Cost per watt of capacity (200 MW): 4 EUR, (50 MW): 6,04 <ref>http://www.architecture.mit.edu/sites/all/files/attachments/lecture/SolarUpdraftTower_Project.pdf</ref>
• 50 MW (Spain, 1800) cost per Watt: 20 EUR<ref>http://www.architecture.mit.edu/sites/all/files/attachments/lecture/SolarUpdraftTower_Project.pdf</ref>
• 200 MW (Spain, 1800) cost per Watt: 12 EUR<ref>http://www.architecture.mit.edu/sites/all/files/attachments/lecture/SolarUpdraftTower_Project.pdf</ref>

Land use

The collector diameter is around 750 m = 400,000 m^2 = 100 acre (60 soccer pitches)<ref>http://educypedia.karadimov.info/library/Solar%20Updraft%20Towers.pdf</ref>

Considering land prices as follows, the solar updraft tower will cost 100,000 - 1,000,000 USD for land only.

• US = 1,000 - 10,000 USD per acre
• Argentina < 8,000 USD per acre <ref> http://www.laht.com/article.asp?CategoryId=14093&ArticleId=363225 </ref>

References

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