[Tim the Plumber (OP)]

I am reading a science fiction book with an idea for a solar powered electricity generator in it. It's supposed to also strip the carbon out of the air but I think that he's got that bit wrong.

The idea is to have a large area of greenhouse (plastic polly tunnel style) with a huge tower/chimney in the centre to then use the convection currents to drive a turbine.

Well, OK, but given the whole thing about green energy is all about cost per unit of power produced reduction how about;

Have a polly tunnel going up a south facing mountain. At the top you have some sort of chimney. I don't see the wind being all that powerful but there could be the possibility of a lot of condesate water happening in it. This will deliver water to the top of a mountain especially if the bottom end is at the sea. You might even want to have an evaporation pool to further push water into it.

Perhaps not a wind power thing but perhaps a solar powered desalination plant??

[alancalverd]

I think you have just discovered why Wales and the west of Scotland and Ireland are so green: something to do with orographic cloud forming on the mountains. It gets really spectacular in Norway and New Zealand, with great torrents of fresh water falling back into the sea, and all driven by the sun and wind. Since the prevailing ocean wind is generally westerly, east coastal mountains are somewhat less effective, but the general principle of evaporation, convection and precipitation works everywhere to some extent.   

[Tim the Plumber (OP)]

Yes. The sort of place I would envisage it would be a desert where the winds drive the moisture away.

Red sea coast?

Canarie Islands?

[evan_au]

a south facing mountain

If you plan to deploy in the Southern Hemisphere, make that a North-facing mountain...

On a slightly different angle, a New Zealander in China asked a salesman where he should position some piece of merchandise to get the best Feng Shui. After listening to a long explanation, I asked the salesman if it made a difference that the New Zealander lived in the Southern Hemisphere? The ensuing long (modified) explanation was even more confusing...

[Bored chemist]

I think you have just discovered why Wales and the west of Scotland and Ireland are so green: something to do with orographic cloud forming on the mountains. It gets really spectacular in Norway and New Zealand, with great torrents of fresh water falling back into the sea, and all driven by the sun and wind. Since the prevailing ocean wind is generally westerly, east coastal mountains are somewhat less effective, but the general principle of evaporation, convection and precipitation works everywhere to some extent.   

Great. Put a wind turbine at the top of the tunnel- and a hydro electric generator at the bottom.
:-)

[alancalverd]

Now get rid of the tunnel, so the turbine works over 360 degree wind directions. The water will find its own way down - it's called a river, and most of them were built millions of years ago.