Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
However, if the collector is expensive, a smaller collector and a bigger tower will
be built.
Table 5.14 provides an overview on the typical dimensions of solar updraft
tower power plants. The indicated figures are based on internationally common
material and construction costs.
Table 5.14
Typical dimensions and power provision of selected solar updraft tower power
plants at the reference site
Nominal capacity
MW
5
30
50
100
200
Tower height
m
550
750
750
1,000
1,000
Tower diameter
m
45
70
90
110
120
Collector diameter
m
1,250
2,950
3,750
4,300
7,000
Energy provision
GWh/a
14
87
153
320
680
Investments.
Investment costs are determined on the basis of the specific costs and
dimensions indicated in Table 5.15. According to this, the investments vary ac-
cording to the current status of knowledge between 43 Mio. € for a 5 MW plant
according to the technical data defined within Table 5.14 and 634 Mio. € for a
200 MW plant (see Table 5.14). However, it needs to be considered that the in-
vestment of such plants are afflicted with much more uncertainties than, for in-
stance, conventional power plants, since, to date, no plant of such a size has been
built.
Table 5.15
Investment, operation and maintenance costs as well as power generation costs
of solar updraft tower power plants
Nominal capacity
MW
5
30
50
100
200
Tower costs
Mio. €
19
49
64
156
170
Collector costs
Mio. €
11
54
87
117
287
Turbine costs
Mio. €
8
32
48
75
133
Engineering, tests, miscellaneous
Mio. €
5
17
24
41
44
Total
Mio. €
43
152
223
389
634
Annuity of investment costs
Mio. €/a
2.3
8.2
12.1
21.2
34.4
Operation and maintenance cost
Mio. €/a
0.2
0.7
1.0
1.7
3.0
Power generation costs
€/kWh
0.18
0.10
0.09
0.07
0.06
Operation costs.
The annual operation costs are globally estimated at a lump-sum
of 0.5 % of the investment costs. Similar to hydroelectric power plants, operation
costs are comparatively low, since the turbines are the only movable components.
There are no components that are exposed to high pressures or temperatures. The
majority of power plant components is highly durable.
Electricity generation costs.
Based on the annual electricity yields determined
with simulation models, power generation costs can be calculated; they are within
the range indicated in Table 5.15. Following this, they vary between 0.18 €/kWh
for the 5 MW solar updraft tower power plant and the order of magnitude of
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