Green Hydrogen Production from Water Electrolysis
A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A5: Hydrogen Energy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 October 2025 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Background
Green hydrogen, produced via water electrolysis powered by renewable energy, is poised to revolutionize global decarbonization efforts. Its potential spans industries such as steel production, chemical manufacturing, heavy transport, and aviation. While significant advancements in electrolyzer technologies—such as proton exchange membrane (PEM), alkaline (ALK), and emerging solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs)—have improved efficiency and scalability, the economic viability of green hydrogen hinges on reducing the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). Recent studies highlight that operational strategies (e.g., grid-connected vs. off-grid systems, energy storage integration, and utilization rates) and novel reactor designs could potentially influence LCOH more profoundly than incremental technological improvements in efficiency alone. For instance, the yearly declining renewable electricity costs complementing optimized system design can lower LCOH faster than efficiency gains in electrolysis. This underscores the need for a holistic approach that bridges material innovation, device engineering, and system-level optimization to accelerate the green hydrogen economy.
Aims and Scope:
This Special Issue seeks to address the multifaceted challenges of green hydrogen production by fostering interdisciplinary research across materials science, electrochemistry, process engineering, fluid mechanics, and system integration. We invite contributions that explore novel solutions to enhance the performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness of water electrolysis systems while aligning with real-world operational scenarios. Key themes include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Catalysts and Electrodes: Development of low-cost, long-lifetime, high-activity electrocatalysts (e.g., non-precious metals, nanostructured materials) for oxygen/hydrogen evolution reactions (OERs/HERs).
- Electrolyzer Technologies: Innovations in PEM, ALK, SOEC, and anion-exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzers, including durability studies under dynamic operating conditions.
- Manufacturing and Scalability: Advanced fabrication techniques for membranes, electrodes, and stacks; strategies to reduce capital expenditures (CAPEX) through modular design or novel manufacturing techniques.
- System Integration: Optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems (solar, wind) with electrolyzers, with and without energy storage solutions, and grid interactions to mitigate intermittency.
- Operational Scenarios: Techno-economic analyses (TEAs) of grid-connected vs. off-grid systems and impact of utilization rates and maintenance strategies on LCOH.
- Sustainability and Circularity: Lifecycle assessments (LCAs), recycling of critical materials, and mitigation of environmental trade-offs.
Dr. Aoni Xu
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- electrocatalysts
- electrochemistry
- levelized cost of hydrogen
- renewable energy
- electrolyzer
- reactor
- design
- fluid mechanics
- system integration
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