"Energy Towers" is the name of a technology which was developed at the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, to produce electricity in arid lands, taking its predicament - a lot of hot dry air - and turning it into an asset. "Energy Towers" is an economically promising technology to produce environmentally clean electricity using renewable sources. It does not require a solar radiation collector and it works continuously day and night. It is also capable of producing 20 times more than all the electricity produced today around the world. The principle is that a vertical hollow shaft is constructed between 600-1200 m high and between 100-400 m in diameter and water (usually sea water or brackish water) is sprayed at the top opening. The water partially evaporates, cooling the air. The cooled air is heavier and sinks down, the air flows at high rates, moving turbines and electricity generators through openings near the shaft's bottom. The Energy Towers, is in fact, a wind producing machine working 24 hours a day. The projected cost of electricity of a tower of 1200 m high and 400 m diameter in Eilat, Southern Israel, was found to be 2.47 - 3.88 ￠/kWh at 5% and 10% discount rate, respectively, slightly less than the average electricity costs of coal fired and natural gas combined cycle stations favorable conditions. The theoretical potential in a recent global estimate for Energy Towers was found to be 230,000 billion kWh /year. There are additional benefits to the Energy Towers such as a sea water desalination at a low price.
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