How does solar fuel work?

Light is used as an energy source, with solar energy being transduced to chemical energy, typically by reducing protons to hydrogen, or carbon dioxide to organic compounds. A solar fuel can be produced and stored for later use, when sunlight is not available, making it an alternative to fossil fuels and batteries.

What is the fuel source for solar energy?

sunlight
Solar fuels are fuels made from common substances like water and carbon dioxide using the energy of sunlight. There is vast energy in sunlight striking the earth, but it is time-varying and dispersed, making it challenging to harness sunlight for practical use.

How is solar energy converted into fuel?

One such fuel is hydrogen. In the same way that plants convert sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into food and oxygen, a system called photocatalytic water splitting converts sunlight and water into hydrogen. The system is often referred to as artificial photosynthesis.

Is solar fuel renewable?

Types of Renewable Energy Sources Solar, or photovoltaic (PV), cells are made from silicon or other materials that transform sunlight directly into electricity.

How are solar fuels used in the world?

A potential holy grail of clean energy, solar fuel has been a focus for researchers around the world for the last 40 years. Advances are now being made in creating various fuels from a combination of solar energy, water and CO 2 . Solar fuels are chemical fuels produced using the sun.

What is the purpose of the solar energy technologies office?

The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) funds research and development in three technology areas: photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP), and systems integration with the goal of improving the affordability, reliability, and domestic benefit of solar technologies on the grid.

How are catalysts used in solar fuel research?

Catalysts in solar fuel research have greatly increased in the last few years. Significantly, the development of molecular, selective, and faster catalysts for both water oxidation or water reduction based on polyoxometalates has lead to advances in the understanding of water splitting systems.

Who is the program manager for solar energy technologies?

The Solar Energy Technologies Office is hiring a program manager for the strategic analysis and institutional support team. Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced selections for $128 million in new projects to advance solar technologies.