Ten-percent solar-to-fuel conversion with nonprecious materials

Area of Science:

• Renewable Energy
• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Direct solar-to-fuels conversion offers a sustainable pathway for energy production.
• Photovoltaic-electrochemical devices integrate light harvesting with catalytic water splitting.
• Achieving high solar-to-fuels efficiency (SFE) with cost-effective materials remains a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a solar-to-fuels efficiency (SFE) exceeding 10% using readily available, low-cost materials.
• To present a systems design for a modular photovoltaic (PV)-electrochemical device.
• To enable facile optimization for lower-cost direct solar-to-fuels conversion devices.

Main Methods:

• Coupling a crystalline silicon PV minimodule with hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) catalysts.
• Utilizing nonprecious, commercially ready catalysts for both HER and OER.
• Designing a PV-electrochemical system without the need for power electronics.

Main Results:

• Achieved a solar-to-fuels efficiency (SFE) greater than 10%.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of nonprecious, low-cost catalysts in a direct PV-electrochemical system.
• Successfully operated a modular crystalline silicon PV-electrochemical device without power electronics.

Conclusions:

• Direct solar-to-fuels conversion with high efficiency (>10% SFE) is feasible using affordable, nonprecious materials.
• The presented modular PV-electrochemical design offers a promising route for cost-effective solar fuel production.
• Eliminating power electronics simplifies the system and facilitates optimization for widespread adoption.