Patent ID: 7833391

Claim:
An apparatus for hydrogen generation and storage comprising: a photoelectrochemical direct hydrogen generator having a water inlet connectable with a water supply, having a hydrogen gas outlet and comprising at least one photoelectrochemical cell comprising at least one water permeable photoelectrode comprising a light sensitive, nano-crystalline catalytic material layer, a polymer electrolyte membrane, a metallic substrate disposed between said light sensitive nano-crystalline catalytic material layer and said polymer electrolyte membrane adjacent to said polymer electrolyte membrane layer, and at least one photovoltaic device connected in series to said light sensitive nano-crystalline material layer and disposed between said light sensitive nano-crystalline catalytic material layer and said metallic substrate layer; an electrochemical compressor having a hydrogen gas inlet in fluid communication with said hydrogen gas outlet and having a compressed hydrogen gas outlet; and a hydrogen gas storage tank having a compressed hydrogen gas inlet in fluid communication with said compressed hydrogen gas outlet.