Current density in solar fuel technologies

Abstract

Solar-to-fuel direct conversion devices are a key component to realize a full transition to a renewable-energy based chemistry and energy, but their limits and possibilities are still under large debate....

Thin film transition metal dichalcogenide photoelectrodes for solar hydrogen evolution: a review

“…PEC systems can provide direct separation of the reaction products and can be cheaper fabricated compared to PV-EC systems. 139 However, there is no large-scale demonstration for PEC devices as well as stable operations over 10 years.…”

Status and gaps toward fossil-free sustainable chemical production

“…The other advantage is that direct electrification is suited for distributed productions, e.g., for small-scale plants while realizing highly energy-efficient small-scale ammonia synthesis plants using H 2 produced by electrolysis is challenging. Furthermore, direct electrified synthesis of ammonia could be Please do not adjust margins Please do not adjust margins directly coupled to a PV (photovoltaic) module, to develop artificial-leaf type devices 63 for distributed fertilizer production 169 from air and sunlight. Note that a challenging direction, although not yet explored, is to realize on the cathodic site the N 2 reduction to NH 3 [170][171][172][173] and on the anodic site the N 2 oxidation to NO x .…”

Catalysis for e-Chemistry: Need and Gaps for a Future De-Fossilized Chemical Production, with Focus on the Role of Complex (Direct) Syntheses by Electrocatalysis

“…From the catalysis perspective, it is thus necessary to understand the directions and trends offering new opportunities, but also to identify properly the limits and gaps as well as the crucial issues to overcome. [31][32][33] Also in terms of catalysis technologies, it is necessary to address the limitations remarked above, for example the possibility to have photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) cells which are able at the same time to 1. convert directly CO2 from diluted streams without need of concentration/purification (by integrating suitable membranes, for example, 34 or combining with integrated electrochemical retention of CO2) 35 , 2. operate directly with solar light 24h (by integrating in the PEC cell a redox storage for a temporal decoupling of the redox processes requiring light and those for the production of efuels) 36,37 3. produce directly in a single cell the e-fuels/e-chemicals from CO2, water and light. 32 Research in these directions as well on the fundamentals aspects which differentiate reactive from thermal catalysis is still quite limited.…”