Researchers from the PeCATHS project consortium have published a significant new paper in Joule titled “Photoelectrochemical valorisation of biomass via selective oxidation to enable sustainable solar fuels” (link to article). This publication represents a significant milestone in the project’s mission to advance sustainable hydrogen production and green chemical synthesis through integrated photoelectrochemical systems.

The paper, led by Prof. David Tilley and his team at the University of Zurich, presents a novel strategy for the photoelectrochemical oxidation of biomass-derived molecules. The approach selectively converts biomass into valuable chemical products while simultaneously generating hydrogen, paving the way for cleaner, circular energy systems.

The study demonstrates how coupling oxidation of organic substrates with hydrogen evolution reactions in a single, sunlight-driven process can dramatically enhance overall energy efficiency. This method addresses one of the key challenges in sustainable energy conversion: replacing environmentally costly water oxidation with reactions that produce both fuels and value-added chemicals.

By combining insights from materials science, catalysis, and systems integration, the research provides an innovative blueprint for scalable, solar-powered electrochemical processes. The findings align closely with PeCATHS objectives to:

• Develop hybrid photoelectrocatalytic systems for green hydrogen production
• Enable the use of biomass as a sustainable hydrogen source
• Improve the efficiency and selectivity of catalytic processes through advanced materials design

This achievement highlights the project’s interdisciplinary approach, uniting expertise across chemistry, materials engineering, and nanotechnology to address the pressing global need for renewable and sustainable energy solutions.

The text can also be downloaded from publisher: https://kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F%2Fauthors.elsevier.com%2Fsd%2Farticle%2FS2542-4351(25)00353-8/1/0102019a16b7ffb9-fbaa72bc-0fa1-4147-aebf-27b5a73afd75-000000/0FitCJrfo0IjhMPofYkksGpLsjo=449