Solar-driven fuel production integrated with biomass valorization over heptazine based photocatalytic systems:

Abstract

Fossil fuels pervade the modern human life in every aspect. Based on 2015 annual production and known reserves, it is estimated that the coal reserves may last up to next ~109 years. In addition, natural gas reserves may last up to next ~ 48 years and oil reserves may last up to next ~46 years. Unfortunately, 80 % of global energy supply still depends on fossil fuels and by 2050, we need to double our global energy supply. In addition, the use of non-combusted fuel becomes the major source for the rise of fossil fuel demand towards 2035 in Global chemical sector. As a result, the depletion of fossil fuels not only pose challenge to the future global energy sector but also the future global chemical sector. Even though new fossil reserves may be discovered sooner or later but their consumption further increases the atmospheric CO 2 concentration, which will be a serious environmental concern. Therefore, the future global energy and chemical sector should be independent of fossil fuels. The photosynthesis in plant is the nature’s finest example which provides key in solving the present fossil fuel crisis. In this line, the artificial photosynthesis which mimics the natural photosynthetic process and produces H 2 or H 2 O 2 by water or oxygen reduction coupled with non-edible biomass oxidation to fine chemicals could be a game changer. Furthermore, the carbon-free solar fuels (H 2 and H 2 O 2 ) and biomass derived fine chemicals could be the holy grail that makes the future global energy and chemical supplies more resilient and completely independent of fossil fuels (Figure 1). In this regard, development of industries to harvest natural sunlight rather than fossil fuels to produce carbon-free solar fuels coupled with fine chemicals will be the main pillars of sustainable development.