An overview of photoelectrochemical cells (PEC): Mimicking nature to produce hydrogen for fuel cells

In order to meet the energy demands of the world in the future, clean renewable resources must be explored to the fullest. While many renewable energy avenues exist, to be competitive with fossil fuels an efficient cost effective means of storing converted energy must be found. Photoelectrochemical cells offer an excellent potential solution to this problem. By taking advantage of the most abundant resource available on the Earth, the sun, these cells offer a significant opportunity to make great strides in meeting sustainable energy goals through an efficient and cost effective means of hydrogen production. In recent years, photoelectrochemical cells have gained significant ground through advancements in nanostructured materials and dye sensitized catalysts. They have shown much promise not only in hydrogen production, but also in areas such as waste water treatment and CO
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reduction. The technology is still in its infancy however, and many challenges must be overcome in order to realize its full potential. Chief among these are improving the ability to harvest energy from the visible light spectrum and developing reliable, efficient, and cheaper semiconductor materials. However, the potential benefits of a fully developed photoelectrochemical cell make the technology well worth exploring.