Concentrated solar energy is mainly utilized in the production of electricity in solar thermal power plants. The possibility of exploiting such facilities for the simultaneous storage of solar energy into a high quality clean energy carrier, such as H2, would provide another pathway for the efficient and utmost exploitation of the solar potential.
The work that was conducted during the whole duration of the project led to deeper knowledge of the operation of major components of the process in the actual environment of a solar tower facility and identified strengths and weaknesses. The HYDROSOL technology of solar H2 production from water splitting based on metal oxide redox cycles is feasible, however, still immature for making the step towards commercialization.
Within the project innovative solutions for the minimization of inert gas consumption and for the heat recovery rates exceeding 60% were implemented at the laboratory and the solar platform scale respectively proving their potential towards improvement of the overall solar process efficiency.
Solar H2 production on the different structured reactor concepts that were tested on the solar platform in real environment was low, which led to discouraging technoeconomic results.
Although, theoretically solar thermochemical processes for H2 production show significant potential, substantial technical and economic challenges remain, before large-scale deployment is feasible.
Other studies in the same field lead to more optimistic scenarios that could bring the solar thermochemical production of H2 closer to a future H2 economy, provided that advancements in efficiency are achieved that are expected theoretically but still have not been achieved in the field.
The innovations that were achieved within HYDROSOL-beyond advance the European leadership and create the conditions for the active involvement of high-potential players in the fields of solar thermochemical research, technology and enterprises.
There are still challenges that have to be dealt with, however, the project highlights the promise of solar thermochemical technologies and opens new paths for European initiatives in leading technological advancements in the field of high temperature solar technologies.
