Lower-Carbon Hydrogen Production from Wastewater: A Comprehensive Review

Hydrogen has the capability of being a potential energy carrier and providing a long-term solution for sustainable, lower-carbon, and ecologically benign fuel supply. Because lower-carbon hydrogen is widely used in chemical synthesis, it is regarded as a fuel with no emissions for transportation. This review paper offers a novel technique for producing hydrogen using wastewater in a sustainable manner. The many techniques for producing hydrogen with reduced carbon emissions from wastewater are recognized and examined in detail, taking into account the available prospects, significant obstacles, and potential future paths. A comparison of the assessment showed that water electrolysis and dark fermentation technologies are the most effective methods for hydrogen generation from wastewater, with microbial electrolysis and photofermentation. Thus, the incorporation of systems that are simultaneously producing lower-carbon hydrogen and meant for wastewater treatment is important for the minimization of emissions from greenhouse gases and recovering the energy utilized in the treatment of wastewater.