Electrocatalysis and photocatalysis (artificial photosynthesis) are among the most promising ways to achieve effective storage for renewable energy. CO 2 electroreduction has been capturing the imagination of researchers for more than 150 years because of its similarity to photosynthesis. Recent research in electrocatalytic CO 2 conversion points the way to using CO 2 as a feedstock and renewable electricity as an energy supply for the synthesis of different types of fuel and value-added chemicals such as ethylene, ethanol, and propane. However, scientists still do not understand even the first step of these reactions: CO 2 activation, or the transformation of the linear co1 molecule at the catalyst surface upon accepting the first electron. Knowing the exact structure of the activated CO 2 is essential because its structure dictates both the end product of the reaction and its energy cost. This reaction can start from many initial steps and go […]