A series of Cu doped titania, CuxTi_1-xO_2-δ (x=0.0, 0.02,0.06) and copper oxide-titaniumoxidenano- composites, xCuO-yTiO₂ (x:y=1:9, 2:8,5:5) were synthesized by sol-gel method and characterized by relevant techniques. The role of Cuions in enhancement of photocatalytic evolution of H₂ from H₂O-methanol/glycerol mixtures in both sunlight and UV–visible irradiation over Cu/Ti oxides was investigated. X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS), supported by X-ray diffraction and Raman studies, revealed that Cu substitution in TiO₂ stabilized anatase lattice, lengthened Ti-O bonds, decreased the coordination number around Cuions, and induced oxygen ion vacancies and distortion(σ) in lattice. Distorted structures are more open and flexible with improved charge carrier dynamics and favourable photo-catalytic properties. Nano sized Cu-Ti-O powders with enhanced N₂-BET surface are a and microporosity exhibited improved photocatalytic properties. Reduction of CuO to photocatalytically more active Cu₂O by photo-generated e-on the surface of composites was evident by the absence of Cu²⁺ peak in the XPS spectra of the composite sample after exposure to light. The most active formulations for sunlight assisted photocatalytic H₂ generation were Cu_0.02Ti_0.98O₂ for the doped samples, referred to as CuTi(2), and xCuO-yTiO₂(x:y=2:8) for the composite samples. Performance of the most active, CuTi(2), was monitored in aup-scaled photo reactor in order to investigate the influence of illumination area, catalyst concentration, form of catalyst (powder/films) and different sacrificial agents on H₂ yield. With an aim to identify practical materials for pilot plants, 6mg of CuTi(2) was dispersed on (30cmX0.7cm)ITO/PET films that exhibited enhanced efficiency (3.06%) as compared to same amount of CuTi(2) powder (1.41%). The results showed that the utilization of the CuTi(2) photocatalyst (without costly co catalysts)with the proper selection of optimum operational conditions under sunlight in aup-scaled photo reactor, generated H₂ yield of 1.167L/h/m² with apparent quantum efficiency, AQE, of 7.5% and solar to fuel efficiency,  SFE, of 3.9% for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Our results suggest that with this efficiency, H₂ at 1L/h would be evolved photo catalytically over 0.9m² of CuTi(2) photocatalyst, exposed to sunlight. In puts obtained from the present study will be useful for further scale up of sunlight driven photocatalytic hydrogen production over low cost and efficient Cu modified TiO₂.