The world’s current reliance on fossil fuel energy, which is finite and a major source of pollution, begs for new, greener energy solutions. Electrochemical water catalysis or “water splitting,” the chemical reaction by which water is separated into oxygen and hydrogen, is one means of tapping energy from such renewable energy sources as solar and wind. But development of efficient and cost-effective methods to achieve commercial-scale water splitting remains a holy grail of science, says Utah State University chemist Yujie Sun.