A novel rotating fluidised bed solar reactor for the gasification of carbonaceous materials is presented. A simplified single particle model, in which the particle gasification is coupled with three dimensional equations of motion, is developed and used to study the particle residence time and gasification conversion within the proposed reactor, together with their sensitivity to changes in key operating parameters, namely reactor rotational speed, initial feedstock particle radius, radiation intensity, and particle release position. The proposed reactor is shown to offer potential for increased particle residence time and conversion relative to conventional fluidised beds through adjustments of the operating parameters other than the particle release position. The results presented assist in developing an understanding of the operation of the proposed reactor and optimising its performance. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.