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EDITORIAL BOARD Grace Baysinger (Chair); ACS Board of Directors Chair: James D. Burke; ACS President: William F. Carroll; Ned D. Heindel, Madeleine M. Joullie. Peter C. Jurs, Peter J. Stang Copyright 2005, American Chemical Society Canadian GST Reg. No. R127571347
Energy Is Chemistry's Challenge ICHARD EISENBERG, THE TRACY H. Solids and Thin Films"), Michael Grâtzel, Harris Professor of Chemistry at the Swiss Federal Institute ofTechnology, LauUniversity ofRochester and editor-in- sanne ("Solar Energy Conversion by Dyechiefofthe ACS journal Inorgpnic Chemistry,Sensitized Photovoltaic Cells"), Gerald J. sent me an e-mail recently to bring to my at- Meyer, Johns Hopkins University ("Motention a "Forum on Solar and Renewable lecular Approaches to Solar Energy ConEnergy" in the journal. "I know that the version with Coordination Compounds challenge of carbon-free energy for sustain- Anchored to Semiconductor Surfaces"), able development is high on your agenda," Eisenberg ("Platinum ChromophoreEisenberg wrote. Based Systems for Photoinduced Charge "The forum is meant to be a sampler of Separation: A Molecular Design Approach aitting-edge research in basic science relat- for Artificial Photosynthesis"), Nocera ing to different aspects of solar energy con- ("Molecular Chemistry of Consequence version," he continued. "I genuinely believe to Renewable Energy"), Arthur J. Nozik, energyforsustainable development in a car- National Renewable Energy Laboratory bon-free way is one of this century's 'grand ("Exciton Multiplication and Relaxation challenges' and that chemistry will play a Dynamics in Quantum Dots: Applications to Ultrahigh-EfTÎciency Solar Photon central role in meeting it successfully." The forum appeared in the Oct. 3 issue Conversion"), and Nathan S. Lewis, California Institute of Technology ("Chemical of Inorganic Chemistry, and I just picked up a copy of the journal to leaf through the Control of Charge Transfer and Recombipapers, many of them by chemists I know nation at Semiconductor Photoelectrode well from my years as a C&EN reporter. Surfaces"). Eisenberg and Daniel G. Nocera, the W. All of the papers stress the scope of the M. Keck Professor of Energy and profes- energy challenge. Nocera writes: "Energy sor of chemistry at Massachusetts Insti- consumption is predicted to increase at tute of Technology, write in the preface least twofold, from our current burn rate to the forum: "If we consider where the of 12.8 {terrawatts} to 28-35 TW by 2050. world stands today in terms of energy use A short-term response to this challenge is and where it will be in 2050 assuming the use of methane and other petroleumcontinued economic development, we are based fuels as hydrogen sources. However, faced with a daunting challenge of where external factors of economy, environment, that energy will come from if our energy and security dictate that this energy need be profile is to be more C02-neutral.... We met by renewable and sustainable sources, need to look beyond something incre- with water emerging prominently as the mental because the additional energy needed primary carbon-neutral hydrogen source is greater than the total of all of the energy curand light as the energy input. A response to rently produced." this 'grand challenge' of chemistry, however, Eisenberg and Nocera review the maxi- faces a daunting hurdle: large expanses of mum energy that could be obtained from fundamental molecular science await discovbiomass, wind, nuclear, and hydroelectric ery if the sun and water are to be used as in that period—leaving aside any practical an energy source." considerations—and conclude that the enWhat I find fascinating and heartening ergy needed by 2050 "is simply not attain- about the forum in Inorganic Chemistry is able from these much discussed sources: the enthusiasm of the researchers and the The global appetite for energy is simply too sheer chemical ingenuity that is already begreat." The answer "to this dilemma over ing applied to this difficult problem. I don't the long term must be solar energy." know whether we can obtain 15-22 TW of The eight articles that make up the usable energyfromthe sun by 2050, but if forum run to more than 100 pages of we have any hope of meeting this challenge, the journal. They are not light reading. it lies with chemistry. It is critical that these The principal authors of the papers that research efforts receive expanded support make up the forum are Thomas J. Meyer, in the years to come. University of North Carolina, Chapel Thanks for reading. Hill ("Chemical Approaches to Artificial Photosynthesis"), Thomas E. Mallouk, Pennsylvania State University ("Light-toChemical Energy Conversion in Lamellar Editor-in-chief
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