Solar-powered system uses agricultural waste to produce hydrogen fuel

Researchers from China Agricultural University and Nanyang Technological University have developed a novel solar-powered system that produces green hydrogen at a cost of $1.54 per kilogram ($0.70 per pound), undercutting fossil fuel prices and potentially resolving the economic barrier between clean energy and natural gas. The innovation replaces the energy-intensive oxygen production step in traditional water electrolysis with the oxidation of glucose derived from agricultural waste such as cotton and wheat stalks. This substitution reduces the required voltage by 400 millivolts and generates formate, a valuable industrial chemical, as a co-product, further offsetting costs. The system employs a cobalt oxyhydroxide catalyst doped with 5% copper, which directs glucose oxidation to produce formate efficiently while preventing its breakdown into carbon dioxide. This membrane-free design eliminates oxygen production, reducing explosion risks and removing the need for costly separation membranes. Demonstrated with raw agricultural extracts and powered by concentrated sunlight using triple-junction solar cells, the device achieved a hydrogen