Photreon, a startup spun out of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), has developed a photoreactor panel that produces hydrogen directly from sunlight and water — with no electrolyzers, no electricity consumption, and no grid connection required.
The technology is based on photocatalysis: specially designed light-sensitive materials absorb solar energy, exciting electrons that then split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. "In a single step, we're replacing photovoltaics and electrolyzers with our photoreactor panel. For green hydrogen production, that means much lower complexity and system costs," said co-founder Maren Cordts.
The panel's modular design is tailored for mass production using standard processes and low-cost materials, and can be scaled from small distributed installations to large solar hydrogen farms in sun-rich regions. Target users include mid-sized manufacturers in specialty chemicals, food production, and metalworking seeking on-site hydrogen supply, as well as industrial projects in areas without access to power grids or hydrogen networks.
KIT has filed a patent application for the panel. A one-square-meter prototype has already been built and was presented at Hannover Messe.
