This is the final technical report for a project carried out at Tulane University of New Orleans that describes the development of light induced (solar) reactions geared toward decomposing water into its component elements : hydrogen and oxygen. Much of the work involved optimizing systems for absorbing visible light and undergoing light promoted reactions to generate very strong reducing agents that are capable of reacting with water to produce hydrogen. Additional portions of the research were collaborative efforts to put the strong reducing agents to work in reaction with hydrogen generation catalysts prepared elsewhere. Time resolved laser spectroscopic methods were used to evaluate the light induced reactions and characterize very reactive intermediate substances formed during the reactions.