Renewable hydrogen anaerobic fermentation technology: problems and potentials

Hydrogen technology is essential to the decarbonisation of global economies because it addresses the variability and storage limitation of renewable energy. Several research literatures on hydrogen technology have focused on energy systems with minimum attention given to other fossil fuel driven sectors such as chemical and material production. For effective decarbonisation, the application of hydrogen in global economies must extend beyond the use of energy systems. Renewable hydrogen anaerobic fermentation is a suitable technology for converting the hydrogen substrate into gaseous fuel and precursors for material and green chemical production. The technology leverages on the well-established anaerobic digestion (AD) technology and can be selectively operated for a specific product. Although there are some problems associated with renewable hydrogen anaerobic fermentation, studies show different technological advancements in mitigating these challenges. This review focuses on the technological breakthroughs and limitations associated with renewable hydrogen anaerobic fermentation and provides insights on other products that could be derived from it, especially for a circular economy and the emerging market of green chemicals, sustainable agriculture, and bio-based product development.

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