Anything that creates hydrogen radicals could conceivably be used to construct electricity-producing fuel cells.
Fuel cells normally radicalize hydrogen by contacting hydrogen with platinum catalysts under extreme conditions, requiring expensive and tricky design.
If this new process can do the same in mild conditions with inexpensive organic catalysts under exposure to light, it could lead to more economical fuel cell designs.
If I'm not mistaken this doesn't appear to be a catalyst. The reaction is driven by the irreversible formation of a strong P=O double bond, and the reagents are consumed. So great for chemical synthesis, but no clear path to fuel cell type reactions.
I did not look at the source paper before posting, but the paper makes it clear you're right.
However, the Wikipedia page titled "Phosphine Oxide" states that reduction of the oxide back to its original state is straightforwardly done with cheap reagents.
Fuel cells normally radicalize hydrogen by contacting hydrogen with platinum catalysts under extreme conditions, requiring expensive and tricky design.
If this new process can do the same in mild conditions with inexpensive organic catalysts under exposure to light, it could lead to more economical fuel cell designs.