So putting the issue of large-scale hydrogen production from our precious water resource aside, this is a huge thing for solar electric generation, if the boost is truly that large of a percentage! Isn't the best solar efficiency currently somewhere just below 30%? This 50% boost would then mean nearly 45% total efficiency for solar cells, right? Sounds like the true boon for clean energy there!

"our precious water resource aside" --- Really? Over 70% of the Earth's surface is covered in water to a depth of 3.7 kilometres, about 1.3 billion cubic kilometres. I would hardly call that a scarce resource. Also, remember that after the hydrogen is burned, it reverts to water, so the total quantity of water is conserved in any case.

Burn our clean water and converting it to energy results in the total loss of water(Hydrogen). It does not go back to H20 if it is energy, If splitting water goes large scale it will be the destruction of our planet. Show me anywhere we convert Hydrogen and Oxygen back to water other than a Fuel Cell, and there is still a loss of Hydrogen there.

To MM and Larry S

2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O + energy. Pretty basic chemistry regarding H2 energy economy known for decades

@Lawrence Smith, here is one industrial application, other than fuel cells, that uses massive amounts of hydrogen and converts them to water: Metal sintering. I’m sure there are many others. Most processes that use hydrogen would either recycle it, or burn it before releasing it to the atmosphere. The former does not require continuous production of hydrogen (other than replenishing leakage losses), and the latter produces water. Hydrogen is one of the most renewable and environmentally-friendly energy storage solutions.

@Lawrence - Burning H2 in an ICE engine is not very energy efficient. But most of the output is H2O. In a fuel cell, all of the output is H2O. (2H2 + O2 => 2H2O) There is no molecular loss, no planetary destruction in either case.

@Lawrence Smith I would really suggest you take a chemistry class. Burning hydrogen and hydrogen used in fuel cells result in water as the end result; no net loss of water in either case.

Yes, hydrogen is an excellent source of clean energy for vehicles, home heating/cooling and industry if the safety problems can be overcome.

Hydrogen is my preferred future transport fuel for the simple reason that it will replace the current toxic carbon producing energy but sustaining a longer mileage duration in a desert environment Also self sustained producing hydrogen will be feasible especially shipping movement where water is continuously available and the sun does the rest.

The most economical photovoltaics are running around 15% efficiency.

I wonder if a Cobalt based molecule would be able to replace the Rhodium molecule.