The article discusses the growing interest in green hydrogen production through proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) as a solution to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and tackle renewable energy storage challenges. While PEMWE technology offers advantages such as high efficiency and compatibility with renewable energy systems, commercialization faces hurdles related to high costs, precious group metal (PGM) loadings, and specific energy consumption. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set targets to enhance the performance and cost-effectiveness of PEMWE systems, aiming to lower system costs, reduce PGM loadings, extend stack lifetimes, and increase electrical efficiency. A key focus is the optimization of the porous transport layer (PTL) within PEM electrolysis cells, which account for a significant portion of stack costs. The article emphasizes the importance of reducing PTL costs through material substitutions, eliminating precious metal coatings, and scaling up manufacturing to achieve significant cost reductions and enhance system performance. Additionally, the article highlights the impact of overpotential losses, such as ohmic, activation, and mass transfer losses, on the performance of PEMEC systems, emphasizing the need for technological advancements in catalysts, membranes, and system design to improve overall efficiency and reduce costs.