A new class of bimetallic Au-Pt/TiO 2 photocatalysts were developed and employed in H 2 photoassisted production using ethanol as a sacrificial reagent both under UV-A and simulated sunlight irradiation. Remarkably, preliminary experiments show promising hydrogen evolution under visible light using Au0.5-Pt0.5/TiO 2 with methanol. The presence of bimetallic Au-Pt nanoparticles and the TiO 2 visible light absorption, induced by the presence of oxygen vacancies and/or Ti 3+, are the two parameters accounting for the difference in activity. -® 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry