At present, three technologies: (i) photoelectrochemical water splitting, (ii) photoreforming of plastic- or biomass-derived waste, and (iii) organic photovoltaics in the form of perovskite solar cells have emerged as the best for converting the sunlight energy into organic valuables and “green” H 2 fuel or electricity.
Considering the need for clean fuel and chemical production from abundant waste streams and considering solar energy being the most abundant and cheapest energy form available, solar reforming is an obvious and well-positioned emerging technology to support the transition from today’s linear to a future’s circular chemical industry.
Among the green energy approaches available, efficient solar energy conversion into green chemical and electrical energy can ensure the upcoming demands of global future energy in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. However, the sunlight energy cannot be utilized directly as a result of its intermittent and diffuse nature.
The integration of solar thermal energy systems with the industrial processes mainly depends on the local solar radiation, availability of land, conventional fuel prices, quality of steam required, and flexibility of system integration with the existing process.
Solar energy conversion technologies may be broadly classified into solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal energy systems. Solar PV systems convert solar radiation into electricity directly and thermal systems convert solar radiation into heat.
With appropriate light harvesting, catalyst design, device configurations and waste pre-treatment strategies, a range of sustainable fuels and value-added chemicals can already be selectively produced from diverse waste feedstocks, including biomass and plastics, demonstrating the potential of solar-powered upcycling plants.