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Toward Large‐Scale Hydrogen Production from Water: What Have We Learned and What Are the Main Research Hurdles to Cross for Commercialization?
Author(s) -
Idriss Hicham
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.202000843
Subject(s) - commercialization , hydrogen production , water splitting , electrolysis of water , production (economics) , scale (ratio) , fossil fuel , environmental science , investment (military) , hydrogen , nanotechnology , environmental economics , process engineering , natural resource economics , waste management , photocatalysis , business , electrolysis , materials science , catalysis , engineering , chemistry , physics , economics , marketing , political science , electrolyte , macroeconomics , biochemistry , quantum mechanics , organic chemistry , electrode , law , politics
The focus of this study is evaluating the status of the most promising methods for water splitting to H 2 and O 2 with their implementation in mind. These are thermochemical water splitting, photocatalytic (PC) and photo‐electrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting, and water electrolysis. In addition to evaluating their coherence, potential, and cost, some misconceptions in the PC H 2 production from water over suspended powder catalysts are highlighted. A few needed research directions at the fundamental level together with the main hurdles to cross for large‐scale production are presented and in some cases discussed. Although an increasing level of activity has taken place in the last few years for large‐scale hydrogen production from water, this is still marginal (at the megawatt scale). A considerable investment in different technologies is needed for a noticeable impact on the environment to occur with an objective to decrease the world dependence on fossil fuels (the terrawatt scale).