Fuel Production from Concentrated Solar Radiation

Abstract

Concentrated solar radiation is an option to produce fuels in large quantities by thermochemical reactions based on the splitting of water or CO2. To achieve the possible very high theoretical efficiency of the processes presently under development a special focus has to be put on how to couple the concentrated radiation to the chemical reactions. The talk will cover options how to design solar concentrators and receiver reactors for different chemical reactions at differnt temperature levels. On the example of the solid metaloxide thermochemical cycles a roadmap to an industrial plant will be discussed starting with the present state of the art and evaluating the gaps that have to be closed to prepare the technology firstly for a further scale-up and secondly for being economically competitive.