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Introduction and General Overview

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Catalysis for Alternative Energy Generation

Abstract

Catalysis plays a key role to address the challenge of sustainable energy and alternative methods to produce energy with respect to using fossil fuels. This field of research and development has given a new impetus to research on catalysis in areas such as producing biofuels, development of advanced electrodes for a number of applications (from new-generation photovoltaic cells to fuel cells), production of renewable H2 and in a longer-term perspective solar fuels. However, the discussion on the technical aspects on the development of catalysts in these areas should be complemented with considerations on the general economic and social context and related constrains which determine the choice of the research priorities. This introductory chapter was mainly focused on these aspects.

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Acknowledgments

This contribution summarizes the discussions made in the frames of various projects which are gratefully acknowledged: PRIN08 project “Catalytic upgrading of the fraction C5 in ligno-cellulosic biorefineries,” PRIN07 project “Sustainable processes of second generation for the production of H2 from renewable resources,” and the EU Network of Excellence IDECAT and of the Cost Action CM0903 (UBIOCHEM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Chemistry and Engineering of Materials and CASPE (INSTM Laboratory of Catalysis for Sustainable Production and Energy), University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Gabriele Centi, Paola Lanzafame & Siglinda Perathoner

Authors
  1. Gabriele Centi
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  2. Paola Lanzafame
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  3. Siglinda Perathoner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriele Centi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst. Isotopes, Dept. Surface Chemistry & Catalysis, MTA Budapest, Budapest, Hungary

    László Guczi

  2. Inst. Chemistry, Dept. Solid State & Radiochemistry, University of Szeged, Aradai Vertanuk tere 1, Szeged, 6720, Hungary

    András Erdôhelyi

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Centi, G., Lanzafame, P., Perathoner, S. (2012). Introduction and General Overview. In: Guczi, L., Erdôhelyi, A. (eds) Catalysis for Alternative Energy Generation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0344-9_1

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