Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc., the innovator and creator behind the Solar Wind Downdraft Tower structures capable of producing renewable electricity has filed for another patent application.The features and methods of this patent application detail the expansion of its hydraulically driven generating system to include Hydraulic-To-Air Compressor Converters (HACC) plus the expansion of the existing hydraulic Accumulator to include compressed air energy storage and conversion back to hydraulic energy.
The system adds several positive aspects to the overall performance of the Arizona Tower project. The main feature will be the ability to utilize additionally generated energy during peak performance hours to pump the water from ground level to the water injection system at the top of the Tower. By capturing this additional energy for use during pumping hours, the electricity regularly used to pump the water can be sold into the market resulting in a potential increase in annual sales from 5.2 million megawatt hours to 5.7 million megawatt hours without increasing the original 1750 MW Nameplate Capacity of the plant or adding more generators.
The Company’s hybrid solar-wind downdraft tower technology combines dry air, heated by the solar rays of the sun, with H2O, which acts as a strong catalyst to create a powerful natural downdraft wind. This wind hits turbines within the tower at significant speeds – powering generators.
