SOLAR-POWERED ALKALINE WATER ELECTROLYSIS FOR GREEN HYDROGEN GENERATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW

This paper presents a focused review of recent advances in solar-photovoltaic-coupled alkaline water electrolysis (AEL) for green hydrogen production, with particular attention to experimental findings from the authors' own research group at Andijan State Technical Institute (ASTI). Four publications from ASTI are synthesised alongside the broader international literature to map the current state of knowledge across three interrelated sub-topics: electrolyte selection and operating parameter optimisation, electrode material performance and durability, and photovoltaic-electrolyzer power integration. Key findings are that 30 wt% KOH at 60–80°C is the near-universal optimum electrolyte condition; that 316L stainless steel provides commercially adequate durability (corrosion rate < 0.01 mm yr⁻¹) but leaves substantial headroom for efficiency improvement through advanced electrode coatings; and that maximum-power-point-tracking (MPPT) converters raise system efficiency by 12–24% relative to direct photovoltaic coupling. Gaps in knowledge, particularly regarding long-term outdoor durability in continental climates and techno-economic scaling, are identified and directions for future work are proposed.