The concept of "solar fuels" refers to the idea of using sunlight to produce a fuel, such as hydrogen, that can be stored and used for energy generation. Here are the steps that researchers and scientists are taking to make this concept a reality:
Photocatalytic water splitting: The first step towards solar fuels is to use light energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. This is typically done using a photocatalyst, a material that speeds up the reaction when exposed to light.
Development of efficient photocatalysts: Researchers are working to develop photocatalysts that are more efficient at converting light into hydrogen, by increasing their ability to absorb light and by reducing the amount of energy needed to activate the reaction.