Agricultural Waste in Emerging Renewable Fuel Technology: Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel due to its zero-carbon emissions and its abundant availability as a fuel source. In the current era of global warming and energy crisis, renewable energy sources like hydrogen are in high demand. However, challenges remain in hydrogen production and storage, particularly concerning safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Biomass, which itself is considered a renewable resource, offers a promising alternative feedstock for hydrogen production. Agriculture, the primary occupation worldwide, also generates substantial amounts of waste as a significant source of biomass. Several studies have confirmed the feasibility of utilizing this agricultural waste for hydrogen generation, making it a sustainable and cost-effective approach. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of research focused on hydrogen production from agricultural waste. It emphasises the significance of agricultural residues as a feedstock and discusses various conversion technologies. Both thermochemical methods, such as pyrolysis and gasification, and biological methods, including photo-fermentation and dark fermentation, for hydrogen production are examined in detail. Additionally, the chapter explores key operational parameters affecting hydrogen yield, including temperature, pH, feedstock composition, and microbial activity. The chapter concludes with insights into future research directions to optimise hydrogen production from agricultural waste and enhance the overall sustainability of the process.