Artificial Photosynthesis: A Review of the Technology, Application, Opportunities, and Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v11i1.2432Keywords:
Artificial Photosynthesis, Solar energy conversion, Catalysis, Water splitting, CO2 reductionAbstract
Artificial photosynthesis (AP) is a biomimetic approach to solving contemporary energy crisis, in which principles of natural photosynthesis are applied to synthesizing chemical fuels from solar power and CO2. Artificial photosynthesis power-generating systems are potentially more advantageous than solar panels since AP technology can provide stable and portable chemical fuels, while also minimizing human carbon footprint in the environment. Although multiple artificial photosynthesis techniques have been developed, none of them have been successfully applied to scalable and commercially viable devices. This paper reviews the current progress and outlook of artificial photosynthesis technology. The mechanism and performance of available methods are presented with experimental data, and technical breakthroughs and challenges in scaling up the technology are reported. A wide range of projects worldwide is inspected to show the status of cost and performance. Finally, a research prospect and an outlook on challenges in technical and socio-economic aspects are provided.
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