Which Spaces for Decentralized Hydrogen Production? Exploring the Technoscientific Promises of Photoelectrocatalysis

In the context of the energy transition, hydrogen has been experiencing a wave of hype for several years. New production methods are emerging, such as photoelectrochemical cells (PECs), which aim to enable the decentralised production of hydrogen and fuels from solar energy. Despite the formation of stakeholder groups aiming to promote their integration into local areas, these systems are still struggling to materialise. Uncertainties remain regarding their potential uses and possible spaces of application. To answer these questions, our research is based on the sociology of expectations and a qualitative analysis. The objective is to characterise the technoscientific promises of PEC technologies, to discuss their place within the sociotechnical imaginaries of hydrogen, and to understand how these promises and imaginaries guide the activities of the stakeholder consortia developing them. In the end, our research aims to describe the emergence of the PEC sector and provide insight into its territorialisation.