Clean Energy Technologies with Special Emphasis on Hydrogen Production Using Solar Technology

Clean energy technologies generate electricity without harming the environment, including greenhouse gas emissions. They are often renewable, like wind, hydro, and solar power, and include electric vehicles, nuclear power, and biofuels. The goal is to boost their use and acceptance in society. Hydrogen is one of the best green energy carriers and, nowadays, also a promising fuel alternative. For hydrogen production, there are many ways available, which include renewable and nonrenewable sources. Since more energy is required to produce hydrogen from electrolysis, most of the hydrogen produced today is by using fossil fuels. In this chapter, solar-based hydrogen production will be discussed with respect to the three renewable methods, namely, water electrolysis, thermochemical hydrogen production, and water splitting. The chapter aims to provide technological and economical advances, storage and distribution, and efficiency improvement, aligning with the industrial analysis of hydrogen fuel by using solar photovoltaic energy with the electrolyser. Furthermore, the different sections of the chapter further incorporate challenges being faced in commercialization in different routes along with future scopes.