Industrial-Scale Production of Photocatalytic Hydrogen in China: Life Cycle Environmental and Economic Assessment in Comparison with Other Solar and Conventional Technologies

Abstract This study evaluates for the first time the sustainability of photocatalytic hydrogen production in China utilizing a 26-faced polyhedron SrTiO3/Rh/Co/Cr photocatalyst. Life cycle assessment and costing are used to estimate the impacts and levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). These are compared via multicriteria decision analysis with alternative solar-driven hydrogen technologies (water electrolysis, photoelectrochemical, and thermochemical), as well as with conventional methods (steam methane reforming and coal gasification). The outcomes are used to identify optimal regional configurations in different provinces that minimize both the impacts and production costs. Photocatalytic hydrogen substantially outperforms conventional methods, reducing most impacts by 21–93%, including climate change (67–93%). However, several impacts are significantly higher, increasing from 48% to 20 times. Economically, photocatalytic hydrogen is competitive with conventional methods (1.58–2.42 k$/t H2 vs 1.18–2.38 k$/t H2). Enhancing photocatalyst stability, optimizing solar-to-hydrogen efficiency, integrating renewable electricity, and valorizing oxygen as a coproduct can further improve environmental performance and cost-effectiveness. In comparison with the other solar and conventional methods, photocatalytic hydrogen is the most sustainable option, along with the perovskite/silicon photoelectrochemical alternative. The findings provide critical guidance for scaling up solar-driven hydrogen production and inform policy, research, and regional deployment strategies.