Solar to fuels conversion technologies: a perspective

Abstract

To meet increasing energy needs, while limiting greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decades, power capacity on a large scale will need to be provided from renewable sources, with solar expected to play a central role. While the focus to date has been on electricity generation via photovoltaic (PV) cells, electricity production currently accounts for only about one-third of total primary energy consumption. As a consequence, solar-to-fuel conversion will need to play an increasingly important role and, thereby, satisfy the need to replace high energy density fossil fuels with cleaner alternatives that remain easy to transport and store. The solar refinery concept (Herron et al. in Energy Environ Sci 8:126-157, 2015), in which captured solar radiation provides energy in the form of heat, electricity or photons, used to convert the basic chemical feedstocks CO 2 and H 2 O into fuels, is reviewed as are the key conversion processes based on (1) combined PV and electrolysis, (2) photoelectrochemically driven electrolysis and (3) thermochemical processes, all focused on initially converting H 2 O and CO 2 to H 2 and CO. Recent advances, as well as remaining challenges, associated with solar-to-fuel conversion are discussed, as is the need for an intensive research and development effort to bring such processes to scale.

Design of a Novel Voltage Controller for Conversion of Carbon Dioxide into Clean Fuels Using the Integration of a Vanadium Redox Battery with Solar Energy

“…Recently, the pathways and potential products of different CO2 conversion routes depending on voltage control have been reviewed in many articles [9][10][11]27]. The photo and electrochemical reduction of CO2 to hydrocarbons has been studied and several kinds of excellent catalysts have been developed [28].…”

“…In general, a voltage control for bias potential is required to drive the H 2 O oxidation in both PEC and EC route conversion of CO 2 into synthetic fuels in aqueous electrolytes [9][10][11]. Therefore, in this letter, we present a simple design for a novel voltage controller (NVC) using a standalone solar/BESS energy system to switch three different loop reactions in order to drive the reaction to carry out hydrogen production and the conversion of carbon dioxide into methane and methanol.…”

Perovskites in the Energy Grid and CO2 Conversion: Current Context and Future Directions

“…Thermochemical and photoelectrochemical conversions have received rather less attention compared to SOEC because they are still at an earlier research stage, thus there is still a long way to go to reach large-scale applications [147]. Similar to water splitting, the main challenge of the photochemical approach is the development of suitable photocathodes to facilitate the reduction process [148]. The issue of CO 2 availability in aqueous form also exists because of poor solubility.…”

Facile synthesis of mesoporous carbon material from treated kitchen waste for energy applications

“…Hence, there are persistent efforts to replace present-day fuel resources with more economic, environment-friendly, and advanced alternative fuels [1]. A rapid industrial growth and increasing world population are adding on to this pressure with each passing day.…”