Namibia might be the place for the next innovative solar towers that would provide the country with a carbon-free source of electricity and food throughout the day. Proposed by intellectual property practitioners Hahn & Hahn, the towers would generate energy by forcing heated air through a shaft lined with wind turbines that could potentially produce 400 MW of energy each. The base of each tower, 37 sq km, will function as a greenhouse to grow crops.
According to Engineering News, Namibia has agreed to finance half of the costs of the $780,000 pre-feasibility report. Sources also say once the structure is completed, little maintenance would be required.
However, Namibia’s permanent secretary for the Ministry of Mines and Energy Joseph Iita said, "We are only prepared to work with serious investors and, despite so many investors showing interest in the field of energy generation, we haven’t seen any project taking off."