title: Introductory lecture: sunlight-driven water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction by heterogeneous semiconductor systems as key processes in artificial photosynthesis.
abstract: Both solar water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction using semiconductor systems have been studied as important components of artificial photosynthesis. This paper describes the various photovoltaic-powered electrochemical, photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic processes. An overview of the state-of-the-art is presented along with a summary of recent research approaches. A concept developed by our own research group in which fixed particulate photocatalysts are applied to scalable solar water splitting is discussed. Finally, a description of a possible artificial photosynthesis plant is presented, along with a discussion of the economic aspects of operating such a plant and potential reactor designs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical System Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. domen@chemsys.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hisatomi
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Domen