Solar Fuels: Conversion Pathways and Reactor Concepts

This lecture covers the conversion pathways of solar energy into fuels, including hybrid pathways using fossil fuels and solar energy, solar thermochemistry, and photoelectrochemistry. It discusses reactor concepts for solar thermochemistry and thermal cracking, as well as the stringent material requirements for photoelectrochemistry. The lecture also explores proposed devices for solar-to-fuel and solar-to-material processes, emphasizing sustainability and efficiency. Various cycles and processes for solar fuel production are presented, along with net value per energy considerations. Literature reviews on solar thermochemical fuel production and solar water splitting cells are also highlighted.