Sion, a New Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in Valais

Chemistry for Energy will be the main theme of the research to be carried out in the first building of the new EPFL campus in Valais. The current issue highlights the research of the different groups that will have their laboratory in Rue de l’Industrie 17 in Sion. The availability of sufficient energy is one of the most important factors in a modern economy. For many years the rate of discovery of new reserves of cheap fossil fuels by oil and gas companies exceeded our use of the fuels, and as a consequence of this easy access to these fuels the world now depends for 80% on the use of fossil fuels. Burning these fossil fuels has increased the CO2 concentration in our atmosphere to unacceptably high levels. This has created one of the biggest challenges of our times – securing our growing energy demands while reducing CO2 emissions to zero. Most scientists agree that a silver bullet, a single technology that will solve all problems, does not exist. So we have to rely on a combination of different technologies that each contribute to part of the solution. This ‘all of the above’ strategy for energy research can also be seen in this special issue of CHIMIA.