Systems and methods for an integrated solar driven chemical plant

A method for an integrated solar driven chemical plant, comprising:

• conducting a chemical reaction in a solar driven chemical reactor having multiple reactor tubes using concentrated solar energy to drive the conversion of the chemical reactant, wherein an endothermic chemical reaction conducted in the reactor tubes includes one or more of the following:
• biomass gasification, steam methane reforming, and methane cracking using solar thermal energy coming from a concentrated solar energy field;
• supplying the products from the chemical reaction to a downstream chemical synthesis plant that has its operating and idle parameters controlled to account for the cyclic supply of solar generated products from the solar driven chemical reactor as a feed product;
• and
• starting an entrained-flow of chemical reactants into the chemical reactor when 1) the solar energy concentrating field is aligned at an aperture of the solar thermal receiver containing the solar driven chemical reactor, and 2) the solar driven chemical reactor is at least a minimum operational temperature of 800 degrees Celsius and preferably greater than 1000 degrees Celsius.