Editorial—special issue “catalysis for sustainable hydrogen production”

Given the finite nature of fossil fuel resources and the negative environmental impact of their combustion during energy production, a global transition to sustainable and renewable energy carriers which encompass a circular economy model is one of today's most pressing issues. Hydrogen represents a promising option, with industrial and academic attention shifting to sustainable H ₂ production, particularly via the catalytic conversion of inexpensive renewable feedstocks such as biomass, waste materials, and water. While this current stimulus has increased understanding, some key challenges still exist. If hydrogen production technologies are to become commercialized, their economics and efficiencies require improvements. In this regard, catalysts play a critical role at the heart of these processes, and therefore, developing inexpensive catalysts with high stability, selectivity, and activity are of extreme importance. Understanding the synthesis and behavior of these catalysts, coupled with elucidating structure–activity correlations, at the atomic and molecular scale, is crucial to further developments and is the focus of ongoing research. This Special Issue provides a collection of high-quality full articles and comprehensive reviews on a diverse range of topics, which include photo (electro) catalytic water splitting, reforming and decomposition of oxygenated hydrocarbons and pyrolysis of plastics for sustainable hydrogen production. Authors from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom contributed to the publications within this Special Issue, for which the Editors are grateful for their valuable contributions.