Can Anybody Top this Crazy Green Idea?

What is it? it's the side view of a solar peaking plant. With PV panels on the roof of a giant structure that would produce liquid air during periods of low demand, and augmented by solar work like a big energy storehouse that would be called upon during peak demand.

During peak demand the liquid air would be vented into the atmosphere, causing it to snow in the desert in the summer.  It could also cause the formation of a permanent snowpack downwind of its' location.


Picture of Can Anybody Top this Crazy Green Idea?
sort by: active | newest | oldest
Mud Stuffin (author) 5 years ago
This makes the concept a little clearer
Solar Ice Plant.bmp
FoolishSage5 years ago
I dont see what using compressed air to buffer energy from solar panels has to do with producing LNG or what either of them have to do with creating water. The picture and pdf are not exactly clear. Could you please elaborate on your idea?
Mud Stuffin (author)  FoolishSage5 years ago
The water would condense on the liquid air re expanders embedded in the hard granite rock of the mountainside.

Find a mountain top that is short of having a year round snow pack and the re expanders might be able to make skiing a year round activity.

I suppose thats a stretch...
Mud Stuffin (author)  FoolishSage5 years ago
Right now I'm looking at the dollars this plant could produce, it may be a crazy idea, but will make money. Someone with more bucks than me probably has the same idea.

Its not compressed air, it's liquid air. It expands to more that 2000 times its original volume when reaching room temperature. An internal compustion engine only expands to its compression ratio.
Mud Stuffin (author) 5 years ago
This is an plant that would be economically dependent on periods of time where costs per kilowatt vary. it would produce and consume electric, solar wind, natural gas and liquid air depending on the prices.

The dome is covered in steerable solar panels this keeps the main body of the storehouse cool in the summer heat.

The curved floor of the storehouse is imbedded with cryongens storing either liquid air or LNG. These would be made with off peak power, either solar or conventionally from the grid.

During peak demand turbines could re expand the liquid air, or in addition, burn natural gas to run stard gas turbine generator sets.

The best place to build a pilot plant, high desert mountains with plenty of sunshine, next to the electric grid and major gas distribution.

Yeah, it's a dream that is only a few hundred million short.
ilpug5 years ago