Numerical 3D Model of a Novel Photoelectrolysis Tandem Cell with Solid Electrolyte for Green Hydrogen Production

The only strategy for reducing fossil fuel-based energy sources is to increase the use of sustainable ones. Among renewable sources, solar can significantly contribute a future, but its discontinuous nature requires large storage capacity. Due ability be produced from primary and transformed, without greenhouse gas emissions, into mechanical, thermal, electrical energy, emitting water as by-product, hydrogen an effective carrier means storage. Technologies production methane, methanol, hydrocarbons, electrolysis using non-renewable power generate CO2. Conversely, employing photoelectrochemistry harvest technique sunlight-direct Research on photoelectrolysis addressed materials, prototypes, simulation studies. From latter point view, models have mainly been implemented aqueous-electrolyte cells, with one semiconductor-based electrode metal-based counter electrode. In this study, novel cell architecture was numerically modelled. A numerical model tandem anode cathode based metal oxide semiconductors polymeric membrane electrolyte investigated. Numerical results 11% conversion demonstrate feasibility proposed concept.