Abstract

Liquid transportation fuels from biomass and CO2 are considered a promising strategic alternative to simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fulfill the massive energy demands. Pyrolysis allows the transformation of ligno-cellulosic biomass into bio-oil (liquid fraction) which can be further upgraded to hydrocarbon fuels by well-known methodologies including catalytic hydrodeoxy-genation (HDO) and steam or aqueous phase reforming to transform bio-oil into hydrocarbons and H2 as promising alternatives to fossil fuels in forthcoming future. The efficient conversion of CO2 to fuels and useful chemicals is an essential step toward reducing the atmospheric concentration of CO2. (Electro)chemical catalytic CO2 reduction is a promising route to convert CO2 back into valuable chemicals and fuels. The use of carbon materials for biomass and CO2 transformation has gained impact as an alternative to conventional oxides due to their excellent features including high surface area, electroconductivity, and low cost. This chapter describes the recent works reported in the literature on the use of carbon-based catalysts to convert biomass and CO2 into sustainable biofuels. An overview of the most promising carbon-based catalysts and processes will be presented, including the main challenges to improve carbon-based catalysts’ performance and to reduce costs to make biomass and CO2-derived fuels an effective alternative for future mobility.