A PLAN to build the world's tallest structure has won government support in Australia.
The project is for a 'Solar Tower' - a 1km high chimney that uses the sun's radiation to create wind that drives turbines to generate 200MW of electricity.
Australian federal industry minister Ian Macfarlane said last week the £290M project had been granted major project facilitation status.
This defines projects of national significance and ensures streamlined decision-making for necessary government approvals.
The next stage is for the state government of New South Wales to give the scheme planning permission for a site at Tapio Station near the border with Victoria.
German consulting engineer Schlaich Bergermann is adapting a generic design to Australian design standards for client EnviroMission (NCE 27 April 1999).
The firm previously designed a 50MW prototype plant built in Manzanares, Spain, in 1982.
The 130m diameter Australian tower will be built of reinforced concrete and will be surrounded by a 3.5km radius greenhouse made up of solar collection panels.
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