Solar water splitting for hydrogen production using Zn electrodes: A green & sustainable approach

Abstract

Abstract The global transition towards clean and sustainable energy sources has led to an increasing interest in green hydrogen production. This study presents a sustainable way to the development and assessment of a solar-assisted green hydrogen production. The basic objective of this study is to investigate the practicability and influence of utilizing solar radiation to drive the electrolysis process for green hydrogen generation. The system design combines photovoltaic solar panels to capture solar radiation and convert it into electrical energy. This energy is utilized to operate an electrolyzer with similar electrodes as zinc that facilitates the water-splitting reaction resulting in the production of hydrogen gas. The solar panel temperature along with global radiation has been monitored. The hydrogen production is analyzed at three different voltage values i.e. 11V, 12V, and 13V. After sixty minutes of operations, the maximum amount of hydrogen (2952 ml) is produced at 13V. Therefore, the fabricated electrolyzer was found stable and economic feasible throughout the tests for hydrogen production.