3D Printing for Solar Fuel Production: Materials Innovations and Future Directions

Abstract The pursuit of solar‐driven fuel generation is a key path to reaching carbon‐neutral energy. However, the complex fabrication and scalability limitations of photo(electro)catalytic systems hinder their real‐world deployment. This Perspective explores how additive manufacturing (3D printing) is changing the development of next‐generation solar‐to‐fuel (STF) devices. By allowing unprecedented control over catalyst structure, geometry, and functionality, 3D printing offers unprecedented opportunities to light harvesting efficiency, mass and heat transfer, and catalytic activity while also reducing material waste and enabling rapid prototyping. The current challenges, including resolution, material‐process compatibility, and structure‐performance understanding are critically assessed, and propose future directions for the field, including the potential for nanoscale printing, catalyst‐reactor integration, and the sustainable design of solar‐fuel platforms.