Abstract The non-uniformity temperature field of direct solar thermochemical reactors severely decreases the energy conversion efficiency of solar-to-fuel. Inspired by the physical mechanism by which the human ear can collect more sound waves, associating the...
solar fuels
Published at Applied Energy – A novel high-efficiency solar thermochemical cycle for fuel production based on chemical-looping cycle oxygen removal
Abstract Solar-driven two-step thermochemical cycling is a promising means to convert solar energy into storable and transportable chemical fuel, in which hydrogen or carbon monoxide is generated by continuous reduction and oxidation reactions. However, the high...
3D-printed ceria is a game-changer to increase solar fuel efficiency
In solar reactors for making solar fuels at high temperatures, ceria's behavior when heated makes it state-of-the-art for unlocking the thermochemistry involved. (How solar fuels are made). But its structure lacks “intelligent design.” So a precisely controlled design...
Methane pyrolysis with liquid metals in a bubble column reactor to generate green hydrogen and carbon
Using a bubble column reactor at Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, the Liquid Metal Laboratory team is working on producing hydrogen from methane, the cheapest method, but without CO2 emissions - the problem with the cheapest method. The main product, besides...
Solar concentration boosted by shape-shifting heliostat glass
By manipulating the shape of heliostats in real time, the optical efficiency of solar fields for tower CSP can be significantly increased, according to a paper presented at the New Mexico SolarPACES Conference: Heliostat with Automatic Shape Adjustment for High...
$30 million in DOE funding for solar thermal fuel, heat, or storage
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) announced the Solar-thermal Fuels and Thermal Energy Storage Via Concentrated Solar-thermal Energy funding opportunity, which will award $30 million for projects to produce fuels via renewable...
Published at Energy Conversion and Management – Thermodynamic and economic analysis of a multi-energy complementary distributed CCHP system coupled with solar thermochemistry and active energy storage regulation process
Abstract: The combination of distributed energy systems (DES) and solar energy is considered a vital measure to save the usage of fossil energy. A new distributed combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system integrated with solar thermochemistry (STC) and energy...
Solar hydrogen testing begins at CSIRO conference tour site
Tests are underway on a cutting edge renewable hydrogen technology that is being backed by iron-ore billionaire Andrew Forrest to deliver a cheaper and more scalable way to produce the zero emissions fuel using concentrated sunlight.
Published at Chemical Engineering Journal – Green ammonia to Hydrogen: Reduction and oxidation catalytic processes
Abstract: Green ammonia, produced at ambient conditions, has received significant attention as a carrier of hydrogen for energy storage and transport. Reduction and oxidation catalytic decomposition of ammonia at atmospheric pressure and low temperatures suggests...
Australia’s Vast CSP to include green methanol demo for shipping
Why Vast plans to include methanol production in their CSP project Methanol is used to make many chemicals, but what makes producing green methanol most interesting for the future is that the shipping industry, finally having to deal with climate emissions, considers...
Published at Energy Conversion and Management – Structural stabilization of granular Ca(OH)2 by coating with nanostructured additives for thermochemical cycling in a fixed reaction bed
Abstract: Thermochemical energy storage systems have a high potential to support a future energy supply based on renewables by providing comparably high storage capacities and option for long-term, cold and loss free storage, that allows a flexible utilization in...
How can Synhelion’s solar receiver achieve such high temperatures?
Synhelion's solar receiver achieves a temperature of 1,500°C and higher. That's unprecedented. Even the Gen3 particle-based solar receiver being pilot-scale tested now at Sandia - and the DLR CentRec receiver licensed to Heliogen - operate at the (relatively!) lower...
Published – Technical, economic and environmental analysis of solar thermochemical production of drop-in fuels
Abstract: This study analyzes the technical performance, costs and life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the production of various fuels using air-captured water and CO2, and concentrated solar energy as the source of high-temperature process heat. The solar...
Synhelion and CEMEX make further progress toward the world’s first fully solar-powered cement plant
Press Release: Aug 3 2023 Synhelion and Cemex announced today a significant milestone in their joint effort to develop fully solar-driven cement production: the scaling of their technology to industrially-viable levels. This includes the continuous production of...
Tour Gen-3 solar receivers at the 29th SolarPACES Conference in October
Tour the pilot-scale sodium receiver and falling curtain particle receiver in Australia During the 29th SolarPACES Conference, a day trip from Sydney will take you on a Technical Tour of the CSIRO National Solar Energy Centre at Newcastle, where the working of two...
Published at Chemistry of Materials – Synthesis and Structural Study of Substituted Ternary Nitrides for Ammonia Production
Abstract: Over the past few decades, inorganic nitride materials have grown in importance in part due to their potential as catalysts for the synthesis of NH3, a key ingredient in fertilizer and precursor to industrial chemicals. Of particular interest are the ternary...
Sandia’s green ammonia research matters for a global shipping future
Green ammonia could be made sustainably using solar thermochemistry instead of the way it is made today in the fossil-fueled Haber-Bosch process, which taps fossil energy for the thermochemistry and the heat and the high pressure it requires, while emitting almost...
US DOE funds Synhelion to scale up its solar thermal hydrogen
Solar hydrogen is a component of the thermochemical solar fuels that Synhelion is developing commercially, such as aviation fuel The solar thermal green hydrogen technology beginning to be commercialized by Synhelion has now received a nod from the US DOE with funding...
AELIUS to champion green ammonia for China’s shipping
Xavier Lara’s consultancy AELIUS Energies SLU to champion green ammonia for shipping before an audience of major shipbuilders in Qingdao China
How solar fuels work: Concentrated solar and thermochemistry
Solar fuels are made using thermochemistry driven by direct heat from the sun In this process, solar thermal energy provides the heat for thermochemical reactions to produce new compounds such as green hydrogen or sustainable aviation fuel. Highly concentrated solar...
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