Production and Exploitation of Energy Carriers from Solar-Driven Thermochemical Processes

Dear Colleagues,

The world’s energy scenario is abruptly changing mainly due to the ongoing coal phase-out and the increasing share of renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar and biomass. The target of fully renewable energy production is inevitably approaching with a wide series of associated technological complexities. The electric grid stability related to the scarce dispatchability of the renewable sources and the difficulties of electrification of heavy transport, in particular in aviation and marine sectors, are still huge issues to be figured out. Energy carriers coming from renewable energies are recognized as a solution to mitigate the intrinsic fluctuations related to green power production, to substitute the fossil-derived transportation fuels and to accomplish the needs of seasonal and long-duration energy storage. A portfolio of energy carriers should be provided for a fully renewable energy scenario that takes the field of application, the energy carrier production technology and the local context of the renewable energy sources into account.

Thermal energy storage systems based on molten salts or solid materials can represent energy vectors for daily or weekly energy storage. Instead, thermochemical energy storage based on thermochemical cycles of solid materials that undergo a reversible reaction can, in principle, accomplish long-term and long-duration energy storage. Green hydrogen, ammonia, methane and other different liquid fuels produced from renewable resources have been proposed as energy carriers for the target of a fully renewable energy scenario. In this context, proper reactor/process configurations and suitable materials are needed in order to develop effective processes; in particular, the development of materials showing both improved thermodynamic and kinetic properties is a key factor for obtaining yields and efficiencies that allow the industrialization of thermochemical processes.

Concentrated solar thermal technologies represent a viable route toward the development of processes and technologies aiming at thermal and thermochemical energy storage as well as at the production of solar fuels. Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is to contribute to the widespread diffusion of scientific and technological knowledge on the production and exploitation of energy carriers obtained by solar-driven thermochemical processes. The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Thermal energy storage as sensible or latent heat from concentrated solar radiation;
• Solar-assisted thermochemical cycles for the production of green fuels (e.g. H₂, CO, syngas) or solid materials for long-term and/or long-duration energy storage;
• Advanced materials for thermochemical cycles showing improved redox properties (thermodynamics, kinetics, etc.);
• Solar-assisted biomass thermoconversion: reactor design, operation and performance;
• Advanced structured reactors with improved energy and mass transfer efficiency under concentrated sunlight;
• Stationary and mobile thermoconversion of solar-derived fuels;
• Catalytic-assisted solar thermoconversion of solids: development of highly effective catalysts.

Dr. Roberto Solimene
Dr. Gianluca Landi
Dr. Maurizio Troiano
Dr. Claudio Tregambi
Guest Editors

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