Tower of Power in the US? | Green Energy News

August 17, 2003 – Vol.8 No.21

TOWER OF POWER IN U.S.?

There is no doubt that Solar Tower technology would work to generate clean electricity. And it seems plausible that one of the 3000-foot concrete towers surrounded by its 3- mile diameter collector could be built far from population centers in the Outback of Australia as is planned.

But can a U.S.company, SolarMission Technologies, which has an interest in EnviroMission Ltd, the Australian owner of the technology, convince anyone - bankers, politicians, residents - that one can be built here?

The U.S. is the home of NIMBY-ism (Not In My Back Yard - ism). Wind farms of the same capacity, about 200 megawatts, often have trouble getting approval. Imagine the difficultly in getting permission for a structure more than a half-mile tall.

Yet the U.S., like Australia, has vast regions, largely uninhabited, that would be suitable for this mammoth project. Still the company, which has announced its expansion here, will have some convincing to do. Visit SolarMission at http://www.solarmissiontechnologies.com/ .