TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Apparatus: In the apparatus above, the processing chamber has at least one external heat absorbent surface associated to it, and the at last one mirror is arranged to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto the heat absorbing surface. The heat absorbent surface comprises a heat absorbent external layer and a first gas heating conduit adjacent the heat absorbent layer for receiving combustion chamber exhaust gas, the first gas heating conduit in fluid communication with the processing chamber such that, in use, combustion chamber exhaust gas passing adjacent the heat absorbent surface is heated by the reflected sunlight and flows into the process chamber so as to raise the temperature. The apparatus further comprises an insulating layer adjacent the first gas heating conduit and separated from the absorbent layer thus; and a bypass valve operable to either direct exhaust gas from the combustion chamber through the first gas heating conduit or direct exhaust gas from the combustion chamber through a gas heating conduit bypass; where the gas heating conduit bypass is separated from the heat absorbent surface by an insulating layer. Processing chamber is moved during operation and the heat absorbent surface forms an external surface of the movable processing chamber. The apparatus also comprises a second at least one mirror for reflecting sunlight onto a second heat absorbent surface; and a second heating conduit adjacent the second heat absorbing surface the second heating conduit carrying syngas from the production chamber to combustion chamber and operable to pie heat the syngas prior to combustion in the combustion chamber. It further comprises combustion tower housing the combustion chamber and the second heat absorbent surface comprises an external surface of the combustion tower. The external surface of the first and/or second heat absorbing surface has a surface texture so as to increase its surface area. Internal surface of the first and/or second heating conduit has a surface texture to induce turbulence in gas flow thus increasing heat exchange with the heat absorbent surface. The apparatus also comprises a further at least one mirror for reflecting and concentrating sunlight directly into the combustion chamber so as to raise the temperature within the combustion chamber. Combustion chamber comprises at least one substantially transparent section to allow the concentrated sunlight to enter the combustion chamber. The substantially transparent section comprises a lens. The transparent section is locally cooled. The apparatus further comprises injector means for introducing oxygen or oxygen containing gas into the combustion chamber. Storage conduit and the feed line comprise sections of a conduit between the processing chamber and the combustion chamber such that the syngas reservoir is inline in the conduit between the processing chamber and the combustion chamber. The apparatus also comprises a first control valve to control the flow of gas from the conduit between the processing chamber and the combustion chamber into the syngas reservoir; and a second valve to control the flow of combustion chamber exhaust gas into the processing chamber. It further comprises a fossil fuel feed line to the burner capable of maintaining an burner pilot and/or, in the absence of sufficient syngas and!or solar heat, providing sufficient fossil fuel for combustion in the burner so as to, in use, create sufficient heat for the oxidation of any syngas entering the combustion chamber. Syngas produced by the processing chamber is directed into the combustion chamber burner. The apparatus also comprises a combustion chamber exhaust gas outlet for supplying hot exhaust gas to a means of converting heat to electrical energy. Preferred Method: Processing organic waste further comprises passing combustion chamber exhaust gas adjacent the heat absorbent surface to heat the exhaust gas with the reflected sunlight; and passing the heated gas into the process chamber so as to raise the temperature within the processing chamber; raising the temperature of the syngas prior to passing it into the combustion chamber by passing the syngas adjacent a second heat absorbent surface; and reflecting sunlight from a second at least one mirrored surface onto the second heat absorbent surface; and feeding syngas from the storage reservoir to the combustion chamber. Heat from the recycled combustion chamber exhaust gas makes up any shortfall in thermal input from reflected sunlight. The method also comprises reflecting and concentrating sunlight into the combustion chamber so as to directly heat gases. Reflecting and concentrating sunlight into the combustion chamber heats the gases to a temperature at which in the presence of oxygen they oxidize. The method further comprises introducing fossil fuel into a burner within the combustion chamber to produce a flow of hot combustion chamber exhaust gas sufficient to compensate for any shortfall in reflected sunlight used for heating the processing chamber; and controlling the flow of syngas diverted into the reservoir; controlling the flow of syngas from the reservoir into the combustion chamber; and controlling the flow of combustion chamber exhaust gas into the processing chamber; so as to maximize the solar energy used by the process and minimize the fossil fuel burnt in the burner. It also comprises during the night time hours, if the syngas reservoir becomes depleted below a specified threshold, introducing fossil fuel into the burner in the combustion chamber in sufficient quantities to: (a) create sufficient hot exhaust gas to heat the processing chamber to the required temperature for the gasification of the organic waste; and (b) raise the temperature within the combustion chamber to a sufficient temperature to oxidize syngas produced in and received from the processing chamber.