Scientists have made a breakthrough in using the sun's energy to split water molecules, a process known as solar water splitting, according to Science. This discovery has the potential to generate hydrogen fuel, a clean and renewable energy source. Previous attempts have been hampered by the fact that infrared photons, which make up roughly 50% of the photons that reach Earth, aren't energetic enough to split water molecules. However, a team of researchers led by Zetian Mi at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor have found a way to use a lens to focus sunlight to a 100-fold smaller area, allowing them to reduce the size of the water-splitting semiconductor and increase the efficiency of the process. The team was able to convert 9.2% of the sun's energy into hydrogen fuel, three times more than previous attempts. This is considered to be a significant accomplishment and brings the technology closer to being commercially viable.
Source: Science