Electrochemical energy technologies: Current progress and future opportunities for sustainable energy transitions

Ignacio Aguilar, Andrew Carkner, Niranjan R, Alaleh Esfandiari, Xin Liu, Summia Saed Aldien, Sai Phani Kumar Vangala, Ali Seifitokaldani

Transitioning from fossil fuel–based systems to renewable energy is central to achieving global net-zero and sustainability goals. Yet, the large-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies—such as solar, wind, and biomass, requires not only clean power generation but also sustainable approaches to energy storage, conversion, and utilization. This review discusses the pivotal role of electrochemical conversion technologies in this transition, focusing on renewable electricity–driven processes for green hydrogen production, biomass upgrading to platform chemicals, and carbon dioxide reduction to value-added products under mild conditions. We emphasize how integrating these electrochemical systems within circular, carbon-neutral energy networks can bridge the gap between renewable generation and industrial-scale chemical production. Furthermore, we examine the existing barriers and emerging opportunities for the widespread adoption of these technologies. In addition, we provided a unique perspective on the socioeconomic prospects associated with these technologies for their incorporation and diffusion to revert the negative impacts of current energy technologies rather than limiting towards scientific aspects of these technologies alone covered by the conventional review articles. The article also explores the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in accelerating catalyst discovery, automating reaction mechanism exploration, and optimizing device fabrication. Collectively, this work outlines a roadmap toward scalable, intelligent, and sustainable electrochemical technologies that can drive the global transition to a net-zero energy future.