Solar Tower Prospects Firm in Ward CountyProspects for the...

Solar Tower Prospects Firm in Ward County
Prospects for the development of EnviroMission’s Solar Tower renewable energy technology have
firmed in Ward County, Texas, following positive pre-feasibility findings that showed a strong fit for
the technology in an area with high solar radiation gain approaching 2400kwhm2.
A feasibility study that includes installation of meteorological equipment is now underway on land
made available to EnviroMission in Monahans, Ward County’s largest town, in a show of support
for the concept in the region.
Mayor of Monahans, Mr David Cutbirth, speaking also on behalf of the Monahans Chamber of
Commerce and Economic Development said “Texas knows energy and this is just a cleaner more
sustainable version of what has been the backbone of our economy until now.
“All that can be done will be done to elevate Ward County’s prospects in the race to be home of
the first US Solar Tower to also reinforce the outstanding solar capacity Texas is able to offer in a
new energy age.”
Mr Cutbirth has gone so far as to provide access to his private land for the installation of the
weather station to facilitate a timely start to the feasibility study as a number of sites in the area are
assessed for viability against EnviroMission’s development matrix.
Ward County is located in West Texas and is serviced by the ERCOT (Electricity Reliability Council
of Texas) grid that transmits electricity exclusively in Texas.
With two separate Solar Tower site feasibility studies now underway in Texas, a new level of
competition has been introduced in the development model that is reasonably expected to improve
overall commerciality where incentives are adopted to strengthen the merit of each case bid.
Solar Tower development in the south west region of the US will also meet core objectives of the
commercialisation pathway indicated in EnviroMission’s 2006 application to the Low Emission
Technology Demonstration Fund (LETDF); development can now move forward unencumbered of
any constraints likely to have been imposed under an LETDF deed of agreement and frees the
development decision and timetable to occur on a case by case basis in domestic and international
markets.