The Solar Chemicals Network

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Nature has evolved an array of machineries and mechanisms for sustainably generating chemicals in a versatile manner from water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen from the most abundant energy resource available - solar. In contrast industrialised society relies on chemicals that are derived from fossil resources in energy intensive processes. The demand for key chemicals such as methanol, ammonia and polymer precursors is growing rapidly, driven by increased needs for use in agriculture, manufacturing and consumer products. It follows that there is an urgent need to find sustainable ways to generate the chemicals which we rely on in modern life. Scientific progress towards artificial, or semi-artificial light-driven materials that achieve these transformations is underway. But success will require input from a wide range of fields including chemistry, biology, chemical engineering and physics. This network proposes to bring together the key researchers to build a diverse community that can deliver the underpinning science and technology for a solar chemicals industry. We will support the community and faccilitate it to generate novel activities that advance the field through a series of events and travel grants. We will also work to raise awareness of this potentially transformative approach to sustainable chemicals and fuels production with the public and policy makers through a range of policy and outreach doccuments and events co-created with UK and international partners.