Solar hydrogen based on hybrid photocatalysis and photoelectrolysis system
Opportunity
Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier yielding only water as the by-product and has high energy density as a fuel source, releasing 142 megajoules (MJ) of energy per kilogram, compared to petrol which releases just 46 MJ per kilogram. While hydrogen is a leading option for storing renewable energy, the production of hydrogen using conventional methods like steam methane reforming and electrolysis is an endothermic, uphill redox reaction process which requires a considerable amount of energy input, so the cost of producing hydrogen, especially green hydrogen (produced by electrolysis using renewable energy), costs around USD 4-6/kg which is 2-3 times higher compared to traditional energy sources.
According to SPER Market Research, the Global Solar Hydrogen Panel Market is estimated to reach USD 0.04 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 5.36%.
Technology
The present invention relates to the development of nanoscale photocatalysts with enhanced photocatalytic properties to enable photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production, where the systematic development of crystallinity, electronic structure, and morphology of photocatalysts at nanometric scale increases the specific surface area and the number of hydrogen evolution sites within the photocatalyst to enhance photon absorption and charge transport, which leads to a more efficient production of hydrogen and oxygen.
The engineering of the nanoscale photocatalysts customizes the crystallinity, electronic structure, and morphology of photocatalysts at nanometric scale increases the specific surface area, which enhanced photon absorption properties, and at the same time increasing the number of hydrogen evolution sites while reducing the recombination sites within the photocatalyst. This optimizes the photocatalyst material surface, interface and reaction kinetics and provides for a category of high-efficiency, visible light responsive, photostable and environmentally friendly photocatalysts that can be used for photocatalytic water splitting.
