Described by many as the ultimate transport solution, solar fuels will finally receive a significant financial investment as the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced plans to invest up to $366million to establish three new Energy Innovation Hubs.

The Hubs will focus on three key areas including developing an effective solar energy to chemical fuel conversion system. Each will be funded at up to $122million over five years and will bring together a team of researchers in an effort to speed up scientific discovery to technological development.

With basic research already providing significant advances in the understanding of the photochemistry associated with the natural photosynthetic system, the DOE admits that there has still yet to be sufficient knowledge ascertained regarding the design of solar fuel generation systems with the required efficiency and sustainability for economic viability. So, the task of the Fuels from Sunlight Hub is to develop a solar fuels system that can operate at an overall efficiency and produce fuel with sufficient energy content to enable transition to proof of concept prototyping.

Among the critical issues that will be examined are: the understanding and designing of catalytic complexes or solids that generate chemical fuel from CO2 and water; integration of all essential elements from light capture to fuel formation; evaluation of the solar fuel system under development; improving energy efficient building systems design; and computer modelling and simulation for the development of advanced nuclear reactors.

The DOE is expected to provide $22million during the first year for the establishment of each Hub with a further $25million per year for each of the following four years to support operations.