Sunlight gives biodiesel by-product a second life as hydrogen and valuable chemicals

Sunlight gives biodiesel by-product a second life as hydrogen and valuable chemicals Published on the 16th October 2026 by ANSTO StaffShare to FacebookShare to BlueskyShare to LinkedIn Key Points Sunlight can covert glycerol, a low value product of biodiesel production into hydrogen and higher value chemicals A photocatalyst based on zinc indium sulfide, modified with very small amounts of nickel and cobalt, increased the hydrogen evolution rate and the production of glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone The research team used X-ray absorption spectroscopy and infrared microspectroscopy at the Australian Synchrotron to observe the catalytic reactions in real time Australian researchers and international collaborators have demonstrated a solar-driven approach to convert glycerol, a low-value by-product of biodiesel production, into hydrogen and higher-value chemicals. Using advanced techniques at Australian Synchrotron, they revealed how the catalyst changes while it was working. The study, led by researchers at the University of New South Wales, investigated a process known as photoreforming, in which light energy is used to drive chemical reactions to simultaneously produce hydro...