Heated air rises in a long, diagonal chimney up the side of a mountain. The airflow in the chimney turns wind turbines. Air entering the chimney's feeder tubes is heated in stages, where each stage has its own solar concentration and thermal insulation needs. Water, water vapor and air can be preheated as they are shipped to a chimney's lower end. Both low heat for preheating and high heat can be stored for night electricity generation and for continuing the chimney's electric production during cloudy periods. Water vapor rising a considerable elevation in a diagonal chimney will condense, giving up latent heat to the chimney air as it produces distilled water or mountaintop snow. Artificial thunderstorm cells downwind from the chimney are discouraged through a reduction in negative ions in the outgoing air and through thorough mixing of chimney air with the atmosphere at the chimney's top.