Seawater to Green Hydrogen: Future of Green Energy

Abstract

Water electrolysis to produce hydrogen has been viewed as the future of green energy. The reliance of current electrolyzer technologies on ultrapure fresh water is not feasible to meet increasing hydrogen demands. The abundant seawater emerged as the potential feedstock for water electrolysis, but its complex composition and chlorine chemistry make the process complicated. Recently designed effective catalysts have given hope for direct seawater splitting but need to be optimized for commercial use. Moreover, the inability of current electrolyzer technologies with seawater requires efforts to establish this technology. In short, freshwater as feed for water electrolysis is not sustainable; the focus must be on seawater. While desalination seems to be a viable option, the economics of scale of the plant is critical in assessing its viability. Although the complex composition of seawater makes direct seawater splitting challenging, designing effective catalysts and durable electrolyzers can make it possible for a truly sustainable hydrogen industry.