The main Competitive Advanteges of the "Floating Solar Chimney Technology"

The primary competitive advantages and benefits of the “FSC Technology” and the respective Power Plants named Solar Aero Electric Power Plants (SAEPs) due to their similarity to Hydro Electric Power Plants are presented shortly as follows:

1. The “SAEPs” can replace conventional fuel consuming Power Plants

• Due to their ground thermal storage, “SAEPs” are the only renewable Power Plants that can operate 24 hours/day 365 days/year.
• Their daily energy production is proportional to the daily horizontal solar irradiation (direct and diffuse).
• The daily electricity power production profile is very close to the demand profile (at least for developed countries).
• Hence the “SAEPs” are solar thermal Power Plants suitable to replace coal, gas or nuclear power plants, securing the world’s energy demand and its sustainable development.

2. Low investment risk due to many years research and experimental test of the “FSC Technology”

• FSC Technology is a long period project carried out by many independent institutions with continuous scientific research. The technology is supported by 6 years experimental results received by a small (50 KW) demo in Manzanares Spain.
• Floating Solar Chimneys are fabric structures that can be designed using existing materials (see attached evaluation letter for the “FSC Technology” by the composite material section of aeronautics department of Technical University of Delft of Holland).
• The integrity of the FSCs under external winds is secured by the patented way of their design.

3. The risk in construction of the first model “SAEP” is negligible

• In order to eliminate the investment risk on the first model “SAEP” and due to the modular way of construction of the Floating Solar Chimney its height could be increased gradually. For example the Floating Solar Chimney(FSC) of the first demo “SAEPP” could have an initial height of 100m gradually increased up to the final height securing the safety of the FSC structure.
• At the present stage of development for lighter than air structures, Floating Solar Chimneys up to 1000m can be constructed with existing materials in the market.

4. “FSC Technology” is an environmental friendly reliable, cost competitive, electricity generating technology and thus an ultimate tool for sustainable development and global warming elimination

• Large scale application of Floating Solar Chimney technology could eliminate the CO₂ emissions below any safe limit for our planet.
• The investments for the replacement of a major part of the new fuel consuming power plants with SAEPPs are not higher, due to the fact that FSC technology is cost competitive to any fuel consuming electricity generating technology.
• Furthermore FSC technology is very reliable (just as the sunrise!). Thus Floating Solar Chimney technology can assure world’s sustainable development.

5. Possibility of grants

• Due to the renewable character of the “FSC Technology” many countries have very beneficial supporting laws for any solar technology.
• In several Southern European countries for “FSC Technology” application, there are either very generous grants or equivalent electricity selling prices or tax benefits that can facilitate the decisions of the interested investors.

6. The “SAEPs” could have added value due to lateral applications

• In fact the “SAEPPs”, without any serious effects on their main operation as electricity generating power plants, can use the major part of their Greenhouses for appropriate farming or agriculture.
• Their glass roofs can be used for rain collecting systems, where the water is valuable.
• However the best areas for the “FSC Technology” application are desert or semi-desert areas with a lot of solar irradiation, and limited winds. Usually the land fields in these areas are unused and for their land owners the “FSC Technology” could be a potential opportunity of income.

7. The “FSC Technology” does not demand any water

• The “FSC Technology” does not demand any water for its operation or maintenance.
• This is a very important benefit taking into consideration that the nuclear, the coal fired power plants and the solar concentrating power plants, that are competitive technologies demand huge quantities of water for their operation.

8. The primary materials of the SAEPPs are low cost or recyclable

• The principal materials of the SAEPPs are crystal clear plastic, glass and steel for the roofs of the solar collectors and reinforced polyester fabric for the Floating Solar Chimneys.
• These materials can be found easily in the international market at low prices and any replaced plastic, glass or steel parts can be recycled.

9. The SAEPPs have long operating life

• Due to the simplicity of their operating technology and design the SAEPs have a long operating life (50-100 years)
• However the fabric Floating Solar Chimneys should be replaced every 5-8 years. The maintenance cost of the SAEPPs includes the replacement cost their FSCs.