Vision
Solar Hub
A transformative scenario and catalysis
Solar energy is the most abundant renewable energy source on Earth, and solar energy technologies are essential in achieving worldwide commitments towards a carbon-neutral society (1-3). However, for solar energy to be usable, it should be transformed into heat, electricity or incorporated into chemicals. The latter allows renewable energy to be stored in chemical bonds, thus enabling long-term renewable energy storage and long-distance energy transport. Developing those chemical energy vectors is crucial to replacing fossil fuels and establishing a renewable-based economy and carbon circularity (4). Chemical conversion technologies directly using solar energy, so-called Solar-to-X technologies, are central to implementing chemical energy conversion solutions.
"Unlocking the Future of Renewable Energy and Chemistry through Catalysis" is a book published by Elsevier in August 2025, exploring the crucial role of catalysis in the transition to renewable energy and sustainable chemistry. It is the Vol. 180 (ISBN: 9780443333316) of the Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis book series (Elsevier, G. Centi Editor in chief). The book emphasizes the need to understand the science and technology, as well as societal aspects, to fully realize the potential of catalysis in this area. It provides a broad overview, highlighting gaps, opportunities, and the need for a holistic approach. The book is a key outcome of the SUNER-C project. SUNER-C, a European project, aimed to accelerate the development and deployment of solar fuels and chemicals. The book complements the project's other efforts, such as the Technological Roadmap for Solar Fuels and Chemicals and the Community Mapping tool.
A transformative catalysis is required to address the challenges posed by developing a new model of energy and chemistry production for a resilient and low-carbon future (5). Our vision of the future of catalysis is related the crucial technologies requested by a transformative scenario for a distributed, resilient, circular model of production which reduces (eliminates) the dependence on fossil fuels, externalities, transport of chemicals and impact on the resources, among other aspects.
Electrocatalysis is a key technology that enables this transformative change (5) and it is part of the reactive catalysis trio (photo, electro, and plasma) requested to address these challenged.There is a need to foster unconventional directions in catalysis to enable this transformative scenario (5-8).
Many aspects are part of the vision for this future scenario, and why solar-to-X technologies are essential in a resilient and low-carbon future: (i) the changing energy-chemistry nexus, (ii) the drivers for a new sustainable energy scenario, (iii) a new vision for refineries, the enabling aspects towards fossil-free chemical production, approaches in defossilization and electrification of the production, and(iv) rethinking low-carbon H2 production are some elements of this vision discussed elsewhere (8-18). Zero-carbon communities for a distributed production of energy and chemicals are a key concept in this vision.
A key element of our vision is also to analyse whether the current approach to electrocatalysis and understanding of related mechanistic/design aspects, largely translated from heterogeneous catalysis, is valid and sufficient to address the challenges posed by this transformative change (8). Or instead, accelerate the transformation requires also rethinking catalysis from a new perspective. We are working to demonstrate the need for a radical change (9,10,19-21). We are progressing in a paradigm shift in understanding and modelling (electro)catalysis, by introducing the new concept of the role of localised phonons and associated strong localised electrical fields that determine the rate and selectivity in (electro)catalysis (20).
Reference:
1. P. Lanzafame et al., Beyond Solar Fuels: Renewable Energy-Driven Chemistry. ChemSusChem 10, 4409-4419 (2017).
2. S. Perathoner, G. Centi, Catalysis for solar-driven chemistry: The role of electrocatalysis. Catal. Today 330, 157-170 (2019).
3. G. Centi, C. Ampelli, CO2 conversion to solar fuels and chemicals: Opening the new paths. J. Energy Chem. 91, 680-683 (2024).
4. S. Perathoner, K. M. Van Geem, G. B. Marin, G. Centi, Reuse of CO2 in energy intensive process industries. Chem. Comm. 57, 10967-10982 (2021).
5. A Bogaerts, G Centi, V Hessel, E Rebrov, Challenges in unconventional catalysis, Catalysis Today 420, 114180 (2023)
6. DP Serrano, G Centi, PA Diddams, J Čejka, Outlooks for zeolite catalysts in a low-carbon scenario, Catalysis Today 426, 114365 (2024)
7. A Bogaerts, G Centi, V Hessel, E Rebrov, Perspectives and emerging trends in plasma catalysis: facing the challenge of chemical production electrification, ChemCatChem 17, e202401938 (2025)
8. H. Kang et al., Understanding the complexity in bridging thermal and electrocatalytic methanation of CO2. Chem. Soc. Rev. 52, 3627-3662 (2023).
9. G Centi, S Perathoner, Electrocatalysis: Prospects and Role to Enable an E‐Chemistry Future, Chem. Rec., 25, e202400259 (2025).
10. G. Centi, S. Perathoner, Catalysis for an electrified chemical production. Catal. Today 423, 113935 (2023).
11. G. Centi, S. Perathoner, Rethinking chemical production with “green” hydrogen. Pure and Appl. Chem. 96, 471-477 (2024).
12. G Centi, Y Liu, S Perathoner, Catalysis for Carbon‐Circularity: Emerging Concepts and Role of Inorganic Chemistry, Chemsuschem 17, e202400843 (2024)
13. G Papanikolaou, G Centi, S Perathoner, P Lanzafame, Green synthesis and sustainable processing routes, Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chem 47, 100918 (2024)
14. G Centi, S Perathoner, Redesign chemical processes to substitute the use of fossil fuels: A viewpoint of the implications on catalysis, Catalysis Today 387, 216-223 (2022)
15. G Centi, S Perathoner, Status and gaps toward fossil-free sustainable chemical production, Green Chemistry 24 (19), 7305-7331 (2022)
16. G Papanikolaou, G Centi, S Perathoner, P Lanzafame, Catalysis for e-Chemistry: Need and Gaps for a Future De-Fossilized Chemical Production, with Focus on the Role of Complex (Direct) Syntheses by Electrocatalysis, ACS Catalysis 12 (5), 2861-2876 (2022)
17. S Abate, P Lanzafame, S Perathoner, G Centi, New sustainable model of biorefineries: biofactories and challenges of integrating bio‐and solar refineries, ChemSusChem 8 (17), 2854-2866 (2015).
18. S Abate, G Centi, P Lanzafame, S Perathoner, The energy-chemistry nexus: A vision of the future from sustainability perspective, Journal of Energy Chemistry 24 (5), 535-547 (2015)
19. C. Ampelli et al., Electrode and cell design for CO2 reduction: A viewpoint. Catal. Today 421, 114217 (2023).
20. G Centi, S Perathoner, Addressing the Complexity of Bridging Thermal and Reactive Catalysis. The Role of Strong Localised Electrical Fields, Top. Catal. (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s11244-025-02062-7
21. G Papanikolaou, G Centi, S Perathoner, P Lanzafame, Transforming catalysis to produce e-fuels: prospects and gaps, Chinese Journal of Catalysis 43 (5), 1194-1203 (2022)