More Efficient Biomass Gasification Through Solar Concentrating Mirrors

Treehugger.com
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 03.10.10

Here's a new twist on biomass gasification, one which more or less merges it with solar thermal. Technology Review is highlighting the efforts of Colorado-based Sundrop Fuels to develop a system which uses the heat of the sun to vaporize biomass and turn it into syngas:

The system consists of a gasifying unit mounted on top of tower surrounded by solar concentrating mirrors which reflect sunlight back to the gasifier and heats its ceramic tubes to 1,200-1,300°C. Any biomass passing through the tubes gets vaporized, at higher temperatures than other units (meaning less residue build up), and more efficiently (no biomass is needed to power the unit).

Currently an R&D facility is operating in Colorado, with a first commercial facility expected to begin construction later in 2010. This will be coupled with a biofuel refinery with the capacity to produce 8 million gallons of fuel annually.

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