Biofuels and Biorefining Volume 1 - Chapter 8, Production of biohydrogen

Hydrogen is an ideal fuel candidate with high energy content (143kJ/g) and clean combustion product. Especially with the rapid development of fuel cell technology, hydrogen can be efficiently turned into electricity, which largely facilitated the application of hydrogen as an energy source. Besides, hydrogen also plays a crucial role in the hydrogenation of fossil fuels and the synthesis of various chemicals. Hydrogen can be produced through various methods, while biological hydrogen production is considered as a vital contribution to the development of sustainable clean energy generation. Biohydrogen could be the desired carbon-free fuel from both perspectives of utilization and production. This chapter focuses on the recent developments in biohydrogen production, including various biomass used as feedstock, conventional technologies for biohydrogen production, economics of biohydrogen production, and the application of biohydrogen. Perspectives and challenges of biohydrogen production are also outlined.