4 May 2023
EPFL pilot-scale solar reactor produces hydrogen, oxygen and heat
EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) researchers have built a pilot-scale solar reactor that produces usable heat and oxygen, in addition to generating hydrogen with unprecedented efficiency for its size.
The reactor is built on the campus, with a parabolic dish that concentrates solar radiation nearly 1,000 times. The reactor above the dish uses that sunlight to convert water into valuable and renewable hydrogen, oxygen, and heat. The system is unique for its ability to also produce heat and oxygen at scale. The oxygen molecules released by the photo-electrolysis reaction are also recovered and used for medical applications.