Gold　nanorods　(Au　NRs)　have　received　extensive　attention　owing　to　their　extremely　attractive　applications　in　photoredox　catalysis,　plasmon-enhanced　spectroscopy,　biomedical　technologies　and　optoelectronic　devices.　Enabled　by　the　unique　and　tunable　surface　plasmon　resonance　(SPR),　anisotropic　Au　NRs　can　interact　with　and　harvest　incident　light　covering　the　much　of　the　solar　spectrum.　As　such,　they　may　serve　as　unusual　media　to　supply　energetic　hot　charge　carriers,　generate　heat,　and　provide　strong　local　electric　field　and　reactive　site　for　redox　reactions　through　different　mechanisms.　In　this　review,　we　present　a　comprehensive　overview　on　the　burgeoning　field　of　Au　NRs-based　materials　for　solar　energy　conversion.　We　firstly　provide　a　detailed　elucidation　of　the　key　underpinning　science　for　plasmonic　Au　NRs　and　Au　NRs-mediated　catalysis.　The　possible　charge　transfer　processes　and　corresponding　roles　of　Au　NRs　played　in　different　photoredox　catalysis　systems　are　demonstrated,　followed　by　introducing　the　latest　advances　in　constructing　Au　NRs-based　hybrids　with　tailored　structure.　The　applications　of　the　hybrids　in　photoinduced　catalysis,　photothermal　catalysis　and　photoelectrochemical　catalysis　are　then　discussed.　Particularly,　the　process-intensified　engineering　strategies　to　maximize　solar　energy　conversion　efficiency　are　further　highlighted　based　on　some　typical　examples.　Finally,　the　perspectives　on　future　research　trends　and　challenges　in　rational　design　and　deliberate　construction　of　Au　NRs-mediated　photoredox　catalysis　systems　in　a　smart　configuration　are　proposed.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd