Shining a light on Solar Chemicals and Fuels: Findings from a SWOT-led (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) literature review and workshop

Abstract

Solar chemicals and fuels (SCF) show enormous potential and can offer solutions to renewable energy intermittency and storage while reducing industrial CO₂ emissions. Yet many challenges remain. SCF advocates face formidable obstacles, which include coordination across the different technological pathways and information dissemination, prohibitive costs, raw materials scarcity, or lengthy development timelines. Our study, then, offers a deeper and more critical understanding of these challenges through a systematic review that discusses the key Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats threatening or supporting the development of a SCF market. NVivo software was employed to produce this comprehensive SWOT analysis, which was further complemented with a workshop that validated the data and offers a valuable resource for future strategic planning. Results indicate that while technological immaturity remains a major obstacle, a primary strength lies in SCF technologies' suitability for decentralized deployment and specialized applications. Insights from the literature and our workshop participants highlight SCF's potential for energy integration, alongside the critical need for targeted regulation, education, and training within a cohesive policy framework. Our conclusions also emphasize the value of SWOT analysis and workshops in generating insights to help stakeholders address research gaps, foster collaboration, and secure funding to drive future developments.