Demonstration and analysis of a steam reforming process driven with solar heat using molten salts as heat transfer fluid

Abstract

Solar reforming of biogas or biomethane represents an example hydrogen production from the combination of renewable sources such as biomass and solar energy. Thanks to its relatively low-cost and flexibility, solar-reforming can represent a complementary source of hydrogen where/when the demand exceeds the green hydrogen availability from water electrolysis powered by PV or wind. Molten salts can be used as heat transfer fluid and heat storage medium in solar-driven steam reforming. The main units of the process have been developed at the pilot scale and experimentally tested in a molten salt experimental loop at ENEA-Casaccia research center: a molten salt heater and a molten salt membrane reformer. After experimental validation, techno-economic studies have been carried out to assess the solar reforming technology on commercial scale and exploitation opportunities have been analysed.