Hydrogen production technologies been a significant area of solar chemical research since the 1970s. Aside from electrolysis driven by photovoltaic or photochemical cells, several thermochemical processes have also been explored. One such route uses concentrators to split water into oxygen and hydrogen at high temperatures (2,300–2,600 °C or 4,200–4,700 °F). Another approach uses the heat from solar concentrators to drive the steam reformation of natural gas thereby increasing the overall hydrogen yield compared to conventional reforming methods. Thermochemical cycles characterized by the decomposition and regeneration of reactants present another avenue for hydrogen production. The Solzinc process under development at the Weizmann Institute uses a 1 MW solar furnace to decompose zinc oxide (ZnO) at temperatures above 1,200 °C (2,200 °F). This initial reaction produces pure zinc, which can subsequently be reacted with water to produce hydrogen. COUNT 5
QSN1 What is the name of the process under development at the Weizmann Institute? ANS1 The Solzinc process QSN2 The Solznic process produces what? ANS2 pure zinc QSN3 What has been a main area of solar chemical research since the 1970s? ANS3 Hydrogen production technologies QSN4 What is one of the thermochemical processes that has been explored besides electrolysis? ANS4 uses concentrators to split water into oxygen and hydrogen at high temperatures QSN5 What is the name of the process being developed by the Weizmann Institute? ANS5 Solzinc process