Solar steam reforming of natural gas (NG) is a possibility to lower the cost for introducing renewable hydrogen production technologies to the market by a combination of fossil fuel and solar energy. It comprises the production of hydrogen from NG and steam that acts as a chemical storage for hydrogen and solar energy as the renewable energy source to heat up the system and set free the hydrogen. Using the solar reformer technology fuel savings of up to 40% compared to a conventional plant are expected. The CO2 emissions can be reduced accordingly. The cost study shows that hydrogen produced by solar reforming might cost between 4.5 and 4.7ctkWh (LHV of H2) today. Therefore, it is only about 20% more expensive than conventionally produced hydrogen. Rising prices for NG will result in favorable conditions for the solar technology.

1.
Steeb
,
H.
, and
Aba Qud
,
H.
, eds., 1996,
HYSOLAR: German-Saudi Joint Program on Solar Hydrogen Production and Utilization, Phase II
, 1992–1995, Stuttgart.
2.
Steinfeld
,
A.
, and
Palumbo
,
R.
, 2001,
Solar Thermochemical Process Technology
,
Meyers
,
R. A.
ed.,
Encyclopedia of Physical Science Technology
,
Academic Press
,
New York
, ISBN 0-12-227410-5, Vol.
15
, pp.
237
256
.
3.
Tamme
,
R.
, SOLASYS—Novel Solar Assisted Fuel Driven Power System, Contract No. JOR3-CT98–0300, published report June 2002.
4.
Becker
,
M.
, eds., 1987, “
Solar Thermal Energy Utilization
,” in
Solar Thermal Energy for Chemical Processes
,
Springer
,
New York
.
5.
Möller
,
S.
,
Buck
,
R.
,
Tamme
,
R.
,
Epstein
,
M.
,
Liebermann
,
D.
, and
Meri
,
M.
, 2003, “
Steam Reforming of Methane Rich Gas in a Solar Reactor
,”
Proceedings of the 1st European Hydrogen Energy Conference
, September 2–5,
Grenoble
,
France
.
6.
Abele
,
M.
,
Bauer
,
H.
,
Buck
,
R.
,
Tamme
,
R.
, and
Wörner
,
A.
, 1996, “
Design and Test Results of a Receiver Reactor for Solar Methane Reforming
,”
Sol. Eng.
0363-6003, Book No.: H01046, Davidson, J. H., and Chavez, J., eds., pp.
339
346
.
7.
Möller
,
S.
,
Buck
,
R.
, and
Tamme
,
R.
, 2004, “
Hydrogen Generation in an Innovative Solar Heated Steam Reformer
,”
Proceedings of The Int. German Hydrogen Energy Congress 2004
, February 11 and 12,
Essen, Germany
.
8.
Möller
,
S.
,
Buck
,
R.
,
Tamme
,
R.
,
Epstein
,
M.
,
Liebermann
,
D.
,
Moshe
M.
,
Fisher
,
U.
,
Rotstein
,
A.
, and
Sugarmen
,
C.
, 2002, “
Solar Production of Syngas for Electricity Generation: SOLASYS Project Test-Phase
,”
Proceedings of the 11th SolarPACES Int. Symp. on concentrated Solar Power and Chemical Energy Technologies
,
Zurich
, pp.
231
237
.
9.
Romero
,
M.
,
Buck
,
R.
, and
Pacheco
,
J. E.
, 2002, “
An Update on Solar Central Receiver Systems, Projects, and Technologies
,”
J. Sol. Energy Eng.
0199-6231,
124
, pp.
98
108
.
10.
Buck
,
R.
, 2000, Massenstrominstabilitäten bei volumetrischen Receiver-Reaktoren, Fortschritt-Berichte VDI Reihe 3 Nr. 648, ISBN 3-18-364803-2, VDI-Verlag.
11.
Segal
,
A.
, and
Epstein
,
M.
, 1999, “
Comparative Performances of ‘Tower-Top’ and ‘Tower-Reflector’ Central Solar Receivers
,”
Sol. Energy
0038-092X,
65
(
4
), pp.
207
226
.
12.
Xue
,
E.
,
O’Keeffe
,
M.
, and
Ross
,
J. R. H.
, 1996, “
Water-Gas Shift Conversion Using a Feed With a Low Steam to Carbon Monoxide Ratio and Containing Sulphur
,”
Catal. Today
0920-5861,
30
, pp.
107
118
.
13.
Latzin
,
W.-D.
,
Weiss
,
H.
, and
Linde
,
A. G.
, Hoellriegelskreuth, Germany, personal correspondence, January/February 2003.
14.
Ruthven
,
D. M.
,
Farooq
,
S.
, and
Knaebel
,
K. S.
, 1994,
Pressure Swing Adsorption
,
VCH Publishers, Inc.
,
New York
.
15.
Bullin
,
J. A.
,
Polasek
,
J. C.
, and
Donnelly
,
S. T.
, 1990, “
The Use of MDEA and Mixtures of Amines for Bulk CO2 Removal
,”
Proceedings Sixty-Ninth Gas Processors Association Annual Convention
,
Tulsa, Oklahoma
, pp.
135
139
.
16.
Kaucic
,
D.
, 2003, “
Cost Comparison of Selected Processes for the Production of Solar Hydrogen
,” Studienarbeit, University of Flensburg/DLR Stuttgart.
17.
Schneider
,
L.
, 1998, Stromgestehungskosten von Großkraftwerken—Entwicklungen im Spannungsfeld von Liberalisierung und Ökosteuern; Öko-Institut, Freiburg.
18.
Steinberg
,
M.
, and
Cheng
,
H. S.
, 1989, “
Modern and Prospective Technologies for Hydrogen Production From Fossil Fuels
,”
Int. J. Hydrogen Energy
0360-3199,
14
(
11
), pp.
797
820
.
19.
DLR Stuttgart, 2003, internal data.
20.
Becker
,
M.
, and
Klimas
,
P. C.
, Eds., 1993, “
Second Generation Central Receiver Technologies
,” A Status Report; C. F. Müller, Karlsruhe, Germany.
21.
T. R.
Mancini
, Ed., 2000, “
Catalog of Solar Heliostats
,” SolarPACES Technical Report No. III-1/00.
22.
Schmidt
,
W.-D.
, MAN Turbomaschinen AG, Oberhausen, Germany, personal correspondence, Feb. 2003.
You do not currently have access to this content.