A green route for hydrogen production from alkaline thermal treatment (ATT) of biomass with carbon storage

Hydrogen, a green energy carrier, is one of the most promising energy sources. However, it is currently mainly produced from depleting fossil fuels with high carbon emissions, which has serious negative effects on the economy and environment. To address this issue, sustainable hydrogen production from bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (HyBECCS) is an ideal technology to reduce global carbon emissions while meeting energy demand. This review presents an overview of the latest progress in alkaline thermal treatment (ATT) of biomass for hydrogen production with carbon storage, especially focusing on the technical characteristics and related challenges from an industrial application perspective. Additionally, the roles of alkali and catalyst in the ATT process are critically discussed, and several aspects that have great influences on the ATT process, such as biomass types, reaction parameters, and reactors, are expounded. Finally, the potential solutions to the general challenges and obstacles to the future industrial-scale application of ATT of biomass for hydrogen production are proposed.