Thermochemical Water Splitting

Thermochemical water splitting uses high temperatures—from concentrated solar power or from the waste heat of nuclear power reactions—and chemical reactions to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water.&nbsp;<div>
</div><div>This is a long-term technology pathway, with potentially low or no greenhouse gas emissions.

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</div><div>Thermochemical water splitting processes use high-temperature heat (500°–2,000°C) to drive a series of chemical reactions that produce hydrogen. The chemicals used in the process are reused within each cycle, creating a closed loop that consumes only water and produces hydrogen and oxygen. The necessary high temperatures can be generated in the following ways:<p></p><p>Concentrating sunlight onto a reactor tower using a field of mirror "heliostats," as illustrated in Figure 1. For more information, see Chapter 5 of the SunShot Vision Study. </p><p>Using waste heat from advanced nuclear reactors. For more information, see the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Hydrogen R&amp;D Plan.</p>
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