Emerging trends in water splitting innovations for solar hydrogen production: Analysis, comparison, and economical insights.

The generation of solar H 2 emerges as a promising avenue for leveraging solar energy, contributing to mitigating climate change and restricting fossil fuel combustion. The advancement of the hydrogen economy significantly pivots on the production of hydrogen as a fundamental cornerstone. This article furnishes an overview of the available water-splitting technologies for harnessing solar energy as the primary source for hydrogen production, emphasizing the significant solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency. Photocatalytic water splitting, Photoelectrochemical water splitting, and Photovoltaic electrochemical water splitting have been thoroughly addressed over the past five-year period. A comprehensive assessment involves the evaluation and scrutiny of these solar technologies, acknowledging their commercial viability by analyzing key indicators like STH efficiency, robustness, economic likelihood, ecological sustainability, and other innovative attributes. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen economy is hailed as a pioneering element in sprouting a low-carbon future. • Solar hydrogen produced via water electrolysis is a reliable fossil fuel alternate. • Three core technologies delineate water splitting with distinct innovative features. • Elaborated on their advancements over the last five years extensively. • Each technology is methodically discussed highlighting their respective attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]