“Solar Chemistry Heats Up” A look at how sunlight is being used to initiate chemical reactions

We all know that the sun can provide more than enough energy to supply the world’s energy needs. Mother Nature has been using sunlight for millennia to make a myriad of chemicals from carbon dioxide and water via photosynthesis. Research work is currently underway to utilize sunlight in a variety of ways, to initiate chemical reactions. This presentation will provide an overview of the research currently underway, and will also provide an introduction to photochemistry, or the use of light to complement or even replace traditional energy sources like steam or thermal transfer fluids, in industrial chemical processes.