Abstract

In this talk, the current status of the most promising methods for water splitting into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) will be discussed, with a focus on their potential implementation. These methods include thermochemical water splitting, photocatalytic (PC), photo-electrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting, and water electrolysis. Their feasibility and cost efficiency will be discussed, and examples of research activities on photocatalytic hydrogen production from water over suspended powder catalysts at the SABIC Technology Center at KAUST will be provided. Fundamental research directions, primary obstacles to large-scale production, and potential solutions will also be presented. Although momentum has been gained in recent years for large-scale hydrogen production from water, this remains limited (megawatt scale). Significant investments in various technologies and infrastructure are required to achieve a meaningful environmental impact, with the goal of reducing global dependence on fossil fuels and scaling production to the terawatt level.

Biography

Dr. Habib Katsiev holds a PhD in Physics from Tulane University, USA, with a specialization in surface science and solid-state physics. His research is focused on the atomic-scale investigation of the geometric and electronic surface structures of energy-related materials, correlating nanoscopic measurements with material applications in heterogeneous and photocatalysis, nanotechnology, and solar cells. Dr. Katsiev has 16 years of broad academic and industrial research experience, including postdoctoral appointments at MIT, Texas A&M, and KAUST. Currently, he is a Lead Scientist at SABIC’s R&D center, where he has spent the last seven years working on renewable hydrogen production project. As the project has evolved, Dr. Katsiev has contributed to both fundamental surface science, studying structure-activity relationships of model photocatalytic systems using XPS/STM and mass spectrometry, as well as prototyping photovoltaic electrolysis outdoor demo units, conducting techno-economic analysis, and developing hydrogen market strategies for industrial needs. He is a strong advocate for the development of novel energy-related materials to promote energy security and environmental sustainability.