The sections in this article are Introduction Importance of Light Alkenes Historical Developments Conceptual Approach Influence of Temperature on the Equilibrium Influence of Partial Pressure on the Equilibrium Energy of Alkane Dehydrogenation Formation of By‐Products Removal of Hydrogen to Shift the Equilibrium Spatial Separation of Dehydrogenation and Hydrogen Combustion Dehydrogenation and Hydrogen Combustion in a Catalyst Bed Oxidative Dehydrogenation ( ODH ) Catalytic Systems Supported Chromia Catalysts Chromia on Al 2 O 3 Supports A Structure and Reactivity B Oxidized State C Reduced State D Regeneration Chromia on Si O 2 / Zr O 2 Supports Supported Platinum/Tin Catalysts Platinum as Active Component Tin as Modifier State and Mode of Operation of Platinum and Tin A State of Pt and Sn B Mode of Operation of Pt and Sn C Ensemble Effect D Ligand Effect Role of the Support Regeneration of Supported Platinum/Tin Catalysts A Treatment with Molecular Oxygen B Treatment with Chlorine C Treatment with Hydrogen Kinetics and Mechanism Kinetics of Dehydrogenation Chromia/Alumina Catalysts A Mechanism 1 B Mechanism 2 Platinum and Platinum/Tin Catalysts Kinetics of Deactivation Reactor Concepts Endothermic Character Preheating the Feed and Carrying out the Reaction in an Adiabatic Reaction System Carrying Out the Reaction in a Heated Reactor Preheating the Catalyst and Carrying Out the Reaction in an Adiabatic Reactor Regeneration Continuous Systems Discontinuous Systems Commercial Processes UOP Oleflex Process U hde STAR Process ABB Lummus CATOFIN Process Linde PDH Process S namprogetti‐ Y arsintez FBD Process Dehydrogenation of Other Alkanes Dehydrogenation of Heavy n ‐Alkanes Dehydrogenation of Cyclohexane Future Developments Membrane Technology CO 2 as a Diluent Conclusions and Future Prospects