For the production of hydrogen, photoelectrochemical or integrated photovoltaic and electrolysis devices have demonstrated outstanding performance at the lab scale, but there remains a lack of larger-scale on-sun demonstrations (>100 W).
In the PECSYS project several approaches for direct coupling of PV and electrolysis for direct solar hydrogen production were investigated, spanning different levels of technical maturity and component integration.
When electrolyzer-based hydrogen production is implemented using a system design that includes PV solar panels and energy storage, the PV solar array is usually placed first. A system of energy storage, like batteries, receives the electricity produced by the solar panels after they have absorbed sunlight.
Methods for integrating PV systems and water electrolysis for hydrogen generation can be categorized into two main types: direct and indirect . In the direct coupling approach, auxiliary equipment like maximum power point tracking (MPPT) devices and DC/DC converters is not needed .
As already outlined, different configurations and approaches were considered, leading to a diversity of results that also provided some insights that allow for generalization of some conclusions for directly coupled PV electrolysis systems for solar hydrogen generation.
In Section 3, several architectures of solar-based devices for (photo)electrochemical hydrogen generation and reversible storage were critically discussed from the perspective of the operating principles, (photo)electrochemical performance of integrated components, and the overall efficiency of hydrogen generation, storage, and release.
Decoupled electrolysis systems such as these could allow surplus renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines to be used to form the storable fuel, hydrogen. Alternatively, sunlight …
The coupling of photovoltaics (PVs) and PEM water electrolyzers (PEMWE) is a promising method for generating hydrogen from a renewable energy source. While direct …
Solar H2 production is considered as a potentially promising way to utilize solar energy and tackle climate change stemming from the combustion of fossil fuels. …
Here, the authors employ a triple-junction solar cell with two series …
Photo-electrochemical solar-hydrogen generators could become an important contributor, as these devices can convert solar energy into fuels that can be used throughout all sectors of …
By addressing the intermittent nature of solar power, the inclusion of a battery enables continuous electrolysis, thus enhancing the overall efficiency of hydrogen production. …
The ''PECSYS'' (Technology demonstration of large-scale photo-electrochemical system for solar hydrogen production) was a 4-year …
We then discuss the major challenges in PV-PEC integration and outline the major breakthroughs in design and materials development for high Solar to Hydrogen (STH) …
Direct solar hydrogen generation via a combination of photovoltaics (PV) and water electrolysis can potentially ensure a sustainable energy supply while minimizing …
By addressing the intermittent nature of solar power, the inclusion of a battery …
Here we present the successful scaling of a thermally integrated …
This part provides a comparative overview of various solar-driven (photo)electrochemical device configurations for direct hydrogen production and its …
Direct water electrolysis was achieved with a novel, integrated, monolithic photoelectrochemical-photovoltaic design. This photoelectrochemical cell, which is voltage biased with an integrated photovoltaic device, splits …
The computation of the solar to hydrogen efficiency by measuring the electrical energy collected by the PV system and the hydrogen output by the electrolysis system using …
Decoupled electrolysis systems such as these could allow surplus renewable energy from solar …
The production of hydrogen from the electrolysis of water combined with sustainable energy sources such as solar energy remains a better technology to exploit the …
Direct water electrolysis was achieved with a novel, integrated, monolithic photoelectrochemical-photovoltaic design. This photoelectrochemical cell, which is voltage …
Here, the authors employ a triple-junction solar cell with two series connected polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysers to achieve solar to hydrogen efficiency of 30%.
Direct solar hydrogen generation via a combination of photovoltaics (PV) and water electrolysis can potentially ensure a sustainable energy supply while minimizing greenhouse emissions. The PECSYS project …
The solar-driven H2 production from water by particulate photocatalysts is an effective approach to produce H2 fuel. Here, the authors propose an integrated …
Major improvements in solar powered electrolysis are needed to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of the system and make it more practical for hydrogen …
Hydrogen fuel for fuel cell vehicles can be produced by using solar electric energy from photovoltaic (PV) modules for the electrolysis of water without emitting carbon …
The most efficient solar hydrogen production schemes, which couple solar cells to electrolysis systems, reach solar-to-hydrogen (STH) energy conversion efficiencies of 30% …
A reversible photo-electrochemical device operating under concentrated irradiation could offer a stand-alone solution for producing solar fuel (in photo-driven …
This part provides a comparative overview of various solar-driven …
A reversible photo-electrochemical device operating under concentrated …
In electrolysis mode, a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 18.11% and a current density of 292 mA/cm 2 are achieved at 518 suns with a device mass-specific power density of …
Here we present the successful scaling of a thermally integrated photoelectrochemical device—utilizing concentrated solar irradiation—to a kW-scale pilot plant …
The ''PECSYS'' (Technology demonstration of large-scale photo-electrochemical system for solar hydrogen production) was a 4-year project (funded by the …