The Enviro Mission Solar Tower will be constructed in Arizona east of Lake Havasu, which straddles the Arizona-California border. Construction will likely begin in 2012, with an estimated June 2014 operation date, said Noe Gutierrez, IID senior energy resource planner.
The concrete tower will be three times the height of the Empire State Building. It will be in the middle of a two-mile diameter, circular greenhouse. Solar heat will build up in the greenhouse and travel up the concrete tower, which will be equipped with 32 turbines. They will produce up to 200 megawatts of power.
“Essentially, the tower itself is nothing more than a chimney that gathers the air from the greenhouse, and it brings it in at about 45 feet per second,” Kolk said.
The company that constructed the 160-story Dubai Burj Khalifa skyscraper will construct the La Paz Solar Tower. Kolk also said it would have an observation deck and could withstand an 8.5-magnitude earthquake. He said the tower would generate power for longer periods of time than traditional solar projects because the greenhouse stores heat.
“Generally, solar operates for about six to seven hours per a day,” Kolk said. “This operates about 16 hours a day because of latent heat buildup underneath the greenhouse.”
IID Director Anthony Sanchez said during Tuesday’s meeting that it is important ratepayers note that green energy does come at a price.
“I think what doesn’t get talked about enough, and which I think the public should know, is that this is $95 to $100 per megawatt-hour,” Sanchez said. “Everything the district is moving forward is green energy, and green energy comes at a cost, which means higher rates.”
Kolk said the technology is impressive and he looks forward to seeing the project completed.
“Building something you’ll be able to be on top of above Lake Havasu and almost see El Centro — not quite, but almost — would be a shame not to be a participant in,” Kolk said.
The IID Board of Directors will vote on the SCPPA power sales agreement, entitling IID to a 15-megawatt share, on the consent agenda during next Tuesday’s IID Board of Directors meeting in La Quinta.
Staff Writer David Steffen can be reached at 760-337-3452 or dsteffen@ivpressonline.com
