Pathways to electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies

Shane Ardo (1, 2) , David Fernandez Rivas (3, 4) , Miguel A. Modestino (5) , Verena Schulze-Greiving (6) , Fatwa F. Abdi (7) , Esther Alarcon Llado (8) , Vincent Artero (9) , Katherine Ayers (10) , Corsin Battaglia (11) , Jan-Philipp Becker (12) , Dmytro Bederak (13) , Alan Berger (14) , Francesco Buda (15) , Enrico Chinello (16) , Bernard Dam (17) , Valerio Di Palma (18) , Tomas Edvinsson (19) , Katsushi Fujii (20, 5) , Han Gardeniers (21, 4) , Hans Geerlings (17) , S. Mohammad H. Hashemi (16) , Sophia Haussener (16) , Frances Houle (22) , Jurriaan Huskens (3, 23) , Brian D. James (24) , Kornelia Konrad (3, 6) , Akihiko Kudo (25) , Pramod Patil Kunturu (3, 23) , Detlef Lohse (26) , Bastian Mei (3, 27) , Eric L. Miller (28) , Gary F. Moore (1, 3) , Jiri Muller (1, 5) , Katherine L. Orchard (1, 6) , Timothy E. Rosser (1, 6) , Fadl H. Saadi (29) , Jan-Willem Schüttauf (1, 8) , Brian Seger (1, 9) , Stafford W. Stafford (1, 10) , Wilson A. Smith (17) , Joshua Spurgeon (1, 11) , Maureen H. Tang (1, 12) , van de Krol Roel (7) , Peter C. K. Vesborg (1, 9) , Pieter Westerik (3, 4)

1 Department of Chemistry [Irvine]
2 Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
3 MESA+ - Institute for Nanotechnology
4 Mesoscale Chemical Systems Group
5 NYU - New York University [New York]
6 Department of Science, Technology, Health and Policy Studies
7 Institute for Solar Fuels [Berlin]
8 Center for Nanophotonics
9 LCBM - UMR 5249 - Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Métaux
10 Proton OnSite, Wallingford, USA
11 EMPA - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology [Dübendorf]
12 IEK-5 - Institut für Energie- und Klimaforschung - Photovoltaik
13 Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials
14 AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS - Air Products and Chemicals, Inc
15 Leiden Institute of Chemistry
16 EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
17 TU Delft - Delft University of Technology
18 Department of Applied Physics [Eindhoven]
19 Uppsala University
20 University of Kitakyushu, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan
21 MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology
22 CSD - Chemical Sciences Division [LBNL Berkeley]
23 Molecular Nanofabrication Group, Enschede
24 Strategic Analysis Inc
25 Tokyo University of Science [Tokyo]
26 Physics of Fluids Group
27 Photocatalytic Synthesis Group
28 EERE - Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office
29 Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology

Solar-powered electrochemical production of hydrogen through water electrolysis is an active and important research endeavor. However, technologies and roadmaps for implementation of this process do not exist. In this perspective paper, we describe potential pathways for solar-hydrogen technologies into the marketplace in the form of photoelectrochemical or photovoltaic-driven electrolysis devices and systems. We detail technical approaches for device and system architectures, economic drivers, societal perceptions, political impacts, technological challenges, and research opportunities. Implementation scenarios are broken down into short-term and long-term markets, and a specific technology roadmap is defined. In the short term, the only plausible economical option will be photovoltaic-driven electrolysis systems for niche applications. In the long term, electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies could be deployed more broadly in energy markets but will require advances in the technology, significant cost reductions, and/or policy changes. Ultimately, a transition to a society that significantly relies on solarhydrogen technologies will benefit from continued creativity and influence from the scientific community.

Domaines: Biotechnologies; Sciences de l'environnement

Shane Ardo, David Fernandez Rivas, Miguel A. Modestino, Verena Schulze-Greiving, Fatwa F. Abdi, et al.. Pathways to electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies. Energy & Environmental Science, 2018, 11 (10), pp.2768-2783. ⟨10.1039/C7EE03639F⟩. ⟨hal-01938576⟩