IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v226y2024ics0960148124004774.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hydrogen production from wastewater: A comprehensive review of conventional and solar powered technologies

Author

Listed:
  • Merabet, Nour Hane
  • Kerboua, Kaouther
  • Hoinkis, Jan

Abstract

The need to reduce the carbon footprint of conventional energy sources has made green hydrogen a promising solution for the energy transition. The most environmentally friendly way to produce hydrogen is through water-based production using renewable energy. However, the availability of fresh water is limited, so switching to wastewater instead of fresh water is the key solution to this problem. In response to this issue, the present review reports the main findings of the research studies dealing with the feasibility of hydrogen production from wastewater using various technologies, including biological, electrochemical, and advanced oxidation routes. These methods have been studied in a large number of experiments with the aim of investigating and improving the potential of each method. On the other hand, the maturity of solar energy technologies has led researchers to focus on the possibility of harnessing this source and combining it with wastewater treatment techniques for the production of green hydrogen. Therefore, the present review pays special attention to solar driven hydrogen production from wastewater, by highlighting the potential of several technologies for simultaneous water treatment and green hydrogen production from wastewater. Recent results, limitations, challenges, possible improvements and techno-economic assessments reported by several authors, as well as future directions of research and industrial implementation in this field are reported.

Suggested Citation

  • Merabet, Nour Hane & Kerboua, Kaouther & Hoinkis, Jan, 2024. "Hydrogen production from wastewater: A comprehensive review of conventional and solar powered technologies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:226:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124004774
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.120412
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148124004774
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2024.120412?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jayabalan, Tamilmani & Manickam, Matheswaran & Naina Mohamed, Samsudeen, 2020. "NiCo2O4-graphene nanocomposites in sugar industry wastewater fed microbial electrolysis cell for enhanced biohydrogen production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1144-1152.
    2. Chen, Yingwen & Xu, Yuan & Chen, Liuliu & Li, Peiwen & Zhu, Shemin & Shen, Shubao, 2015. "Microbial electrolysis cells with polyaniline/multi-walled carbon nanotube-modified biocathodes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 377-384.
    3. Devi Radhika & Archana Shivakumar & Deepak R. Kasai & Ravindranadh Koutavarapu & Shaik Gouse Peera, 2022. "Microbial Electrolysis Cell as a Diverse Technology: Overview of Prospective Applications, Advancements, and Challenges," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Zheng, G.H. & Wang, L. & Kang, Z.H., 2010. "Feasibility of biohydrogen production from tofu wastewater with glutamine auxotrophic mutant of Rhodobacter sphaeroides," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 2910-2913.
    5. Lu Lu & Jeremy S. Guest & Catherine A. Peters & Xiuping Zhu & Greg H. Rau & Zhiyong Jason Ren, 2018. "Wastewater treatment for carbon capture and utilization," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(12), pages 750-758, December.
    6. Marques, Fabielle C. & Silva, Julio Cesar M. & Libardi, Cícero P. & de Carvalho, Rael R. & Sequine, Gabriel F. & Valane, Gabriel M., 2020. "Hydrogen production by photovoltaic-electrolysis using aqueous waste from ornamental stones industries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 1266-1273.
    7. Hu, Song & Guo, Bin & Ding, Shunliang & Yang, Fuyuan & Dang, Jian & Liu, Biao & Gu, Junjie & Ma, Jugang & Ouyang, Minggao, 2022. "A comprehensive review of alkaline water electrolysis mathematical modeling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    8. Rousseau, Raphaël & Etcheverry, Luc & Roubaud, Emma & Basséguy, Régine & Délia, Marie-Line & Bergel, Alain, 2020. "Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    9. Pooja Dange & Soumya Pandit & Dipak Jadhav & Poojhaa Shanmugam & Piyush Kumar Gupta & Sanjay Kumar & Manu Kumar & Yung-Hun Yang & Shashi Kant Bhatia, 2021. "Recent Developments in Microbial Electrolysis Cell-Based Biohydrogen Production Utilizing Wastewater as a Feedstock," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-37, August.
    10. Sudhagar Pitchaimuthu & Kishore Sridharan & Sanjay Nagarajan & Sengeni Ananthraj & Peter Robertson & Moritz F. Kuehnel & Ángel Irabien & Mercedes Maroto-Valer, 2022. "Solar Hydrogen Fuel Generation from Wastewater—Beyond Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting: A Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-23, October.
    11. Maggio, G. & Squadrito, G. & Nicita, A., 2022. "Hydrogen and medical oxygen by renewable energy based electrolysis: A green and economically viable route," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    12. Laura Pérez Orosa & Eva Chinarro & Domingo Guinea & María C. García-Alegre, 2022. "Hydrogen Production by Wastewater Alkaline Electro-Oxidation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-19, August.
    13. Dinesh, G. Kumaravel & Chauhan, Rohit & Chakma, Sankar, 2018. "Influence and strategies for enhanced biohydrogen production from food waste," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 807-822.
    14. Barbosa, Sónia G. & Rodrigues, Telma & Peixoto, Luciana & Kuntke, Philipp & Alves, Maria Madalena & Pereira, Maria Alcina & Ter Heijne, Annemiek, 2019. "Anaerobic biological fermentation of urine as a strategy to enhance the performance of a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 936-943.
    15. A K M Khabirul Islam & Patrick S. M. Dunlop & Neil J. Hewitt & Rose Lenihan & Caterina Brandoni, 2021. "Bio-Hydrogen Production from Wastewater: A Comparative Study of Low Energy Intensive Production Processes," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-27, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ilias Apostolopoulos & Georgios Bampos & Amaia Soto Beobide & Stefanos Dailianis & George Voyiatzis & Symeon Bebelis & Gerasimos Lyberatos & Georgia Antonopoulou, 2021. "The Effect of Anode Material on the Performance of a Hydrogen Producing Microbial Electrolysis Cell, Operating with Synthetic and Real Wastewaters," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Leyuan Zhang & Yucheng Zhang & Yang Liu & Sibo Wang & Calvin K. Lee & Yu Huang & Xiangfeng Duan, 2024. "High power density redox-mediated Shewanella microbial flow fuel cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Wang, Hui & Zeng, Shufang & Pan, Xiaoli & Liu, Lei & Chen, Yunjie & Tang, Jiawei & Luo, Feng, 2022. "Bioelectrochemically assisting anaerobic digestion enhanced methane production under low-temperature," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 1071-1083.
    4. Yuhan Zhang & Yongbin Wang & Zhibin Chen & Chengzhi Hu & Jiuhui Qu, 2024. "Recovering nutrients and unblocking the cake layer of an electrochemical anaerobic membrane bioreactor," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Shahid, Kanwal & Ramasamy, Deepika Lakshmi & Haapasaari, Sampo & Sillanpää, Mika & Pihlajamäki, Arto, 2021. "Stainless steel and carbon brushes as high-performance anodes for energy production and nutrient recovery using the microbial nutrient recovery system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    6. Beiying Li & Conghe Liu & Jingjing Bai & Yikun Huang & Run Su & Yan Wei & Bin Ma, 2024. "Strategy to mitigate substrate inhibition in wastewater treatment systems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Ortiz-Martínez, V.M. & Salar-García, M.J. & Touati, K. & Hernández-Fernández, F.J. & de los Ríos, A.P. & Belhoucine, F. & Berrabbah, A. Alioua, 2016. "Assessment of spinel-type mixed valence Cu/Co and Ni/Co-based oxides for power production in single-chamber microbial fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1241-1249.
    8. Ajanovic, Amela & Sayer, Marlene & Haas, Reinhard, 2024. "On the future relevance of green hydrogen in Europe," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    9. Xu, Jiuping & Zhao, Chuandang & Wang, Fengjuan & Yang, Guocan, 2022. "Industrial decarbonisation oriented distributed renewable generation towards wastewater treatment sector: Case from the Yangtze River Delta region in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    10. Xiang Gao & Zhichao Yang & Wen Zhang & Bingcai Pan, 2024. "Carbon redirection via tunable Fenton-like reactions under nanoconfinement toward sustainable water treatment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Ahmed Fathy & Hegazy Rezk & Dalia Yousri & Abdullah G. Alharbi & Sulaiman Alshammari & Yahia B. Hassan, 2023. "Maximizing Bio-Hydrogen Production from an Innovative Microbial Electrolysis Cell Using Artificial Intelligence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Liu, Hong-zhou & Chen, Tie-zhu & Wang, Nan & Zhang, Yu-rui & Li, Jian-chang, 2024. "A new strategy for improving MFC power output by shared electrode MFC–MEC coupling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    13. Ramprakash, Balasubramani & Lindblad, Peter & Eaton-Rye, Julian J. & Incharoensakdi, Aran, 2022. "Current strategies and future perspectives in biological hydrogen production: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    14. Qi Dang & Wei Zhang & Jiqing Liu & Liting Wang & Deli Wu & Dejin Wang & Zhendong Lei & Liang Tang, 2023. "Bias-free driven ion assisted photoelectrochemical system for sustainable wastewater treatment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    15. Lin, Richen & O'Shea, Richard & Deng, Chen & Wu, Benteng & Murphy, Jerry D., 2021. "A perspective on the efficacy of green gas production via integration of technologies in novel cascading circular bio-systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    16. Gabriela Elena Badea & Cristina Hora & Ioana Maior & Anca Cojocaru & Calin Secui & Sanda Monica Filip & Florin Ciprian Dan, 2022. "Sustainable Hydrogen Production from Seawater Electrolysis: Through Fundamental Electrochemical Principles to the Most Recent Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-31, November.
    17. Cameron Campbell-Stanway & Victor Becerra & Shanker Prabhu & James Bull, 2024. "Investigating the Role of Byproduct Oxygen in UK-Based Future Scenario Models for Green Hydrogen Electrolysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-38, January.
    18. Francesco Calise & Francesco Liberato Cappiello & Luca Cimmino & Massimo Dentice d’Accadia & Maria Vicidomini, 2024. "A Novel Layout for Combined Heat and Power Production for a Hospital Based on a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-21, February.
    19. Ryu, Kyung Hwan & Kim, Boeun & Heo, Seongmin, 2022. "Sustainability analysis framework based on global market dynamics: A carbon capture and utilization industry case," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    20. Ruhnau, Oliver, 2022. "How flexible electricity demand stabilizes wind and solar market values: The case of hydrogen electrolyzers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:226:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124004774. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.