Renewable Energy
Why we should change the way we environmentally assess building retrofits
On 09.05.2022 by Linus WalkerBuilding retrofits are increasingly assessed from an environmental perspective. Standard assessment methods, however, largely do not consider future developments and fail to take into account the state of climate emergency where the time horizon is substantially shorter than the expected building lifetime. Therefore a more forward-looking analysis is required. Including global warming, electricity decarbonization, and aligning the analysis period with 2050 goals give greater weight to material-based embodied emissions. I, therefore, claim that construction materials are substantially more relevant in the fight against global warming than currently considered in most assessments.
Renewable Energy
Two key ways Switzerland can promote electricity access and take climate action in low-income countries
On 03.05.2022 by Yael Borofsky, Churchill Omondi AgutuEarlier this year, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) organised the first International Cooperation Forum in Geneva to address poverty and climate change. We highlight our key takeaways about electricity access from the event.
Renewable Energy
Making gas network regulation fit for decarbonization
On 22.04.2022 by Paul WaidelichTo meet our global climate targets, the use of gas distribution networks will likely decline over the coming decades in Europe. Current gas price hikes and shifts away from Russian supplies will accelerate this transition. Under current regulation, however, lower network usage leads to increasing network tariffs, and to customers paying for potentially redundant infrastructure. Therefore, we need an honest debate about the future of gas networks, and who will carry the costs if pipelines are decommissioned prematurely.
Renewable Energy
Cheers to 50 articles! 500 more perhaps?
On 04.04.2022 by Churchill Omondi Agutu, Christine Johanna GschwendtnerSo the Energy Blog @ETH just turned 50 articles old! Writing for the win! To think that an idea that was sparked by an unexpected encounter of students Flo, Yael, Evan & Alejandro, in their early PhD years while at ETH Zurich, what a feat! Through the support of the ETH Energy Science Centre (ESC), the Energy Blog @ETH team, consisting mostly of PhD students, along with professors and ESC staff, has worked to create a space where anyone working in energy at ETH Zurich can showcase their research or give informed opinions on pertinent energy topics of our time.
In this article, we at the Energy Blog @ETH team want to give you a glimpse “behind the curtain” into the inner workings of our team! What is the #ETHEnergyBlog about? And how can you be part of this budding team?
Renewable Energy
More curse than blessing? Carbon offsetting by planting trees
On 22.03.2022 by Clémence Rüegsegger and Leopold PeiselerImages of lush forests often carry notions of sustainability and eco-friendliness. But can planting trees be an effective instrument against climate change? Counterintuitively, there are many practical barriers rendering this question difficult to answer. This blog post calls for a public debate on afforestation/reforestation and carbon offsetting.
Renewable Energy
Energy prices skyrocket in Europe – policymakers must now set the incentives right for the climate
On 16.03.2022 by Florian Manuel EgliThe Russian war on Ukraine has provoked skyrocketing gas prices. High gas prices can help the transition to a renewable energy system, but European decision makers must now consider policies to decrease the price volatility exposure of renewables to safeguard the transition. In an analysis recently published in Nature Energy, we show that such policies can strengthen the political support for long-term carbon prices.
Renewable Energy
When SDGs conflict: Hydropower, people and the environment
On 11.02.2022 by Fabian HafnerThe deployment of clean and sustainable energy is regarded as a pillar of sustainable global development according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Counter-intuitively, this goal can sometimes directly interfere with other developmental objectives. Based on a working paper by UN ESCAP about the energy landscape in North and Central Asia, I highlight one of the conflicts that arises within this development – hydropower (SDG7) vs. water access (SDG 6) and food security (SDG2), based on a working paper that quantifies interlinkages between renewable energy use and other indicators contained within the SDGs.
Buildings . Economics & Policy . Energy Efficiency . Heating . Renewable Energy
Green coalitions’ contradictions – why we need innovative policies for building stock decarbonization
On 05.01.2022 by Ivalin PetkovProminent policy initiatives all over the globe are polarizing society for how to govern an increasingly unaffordable building stock in the era of sustainability – even in the quaint city of Basel in traditionally neutral Switzerland. While our readership is primarily concerned with energy and CO₂, here I present an emerging conflict between social and environmental policies in the building sector – primarily due to the silo mentality of (green-leaning) politicians and policymakers. I argue why we need to break down these silos by innovating our current arsenal of policy tools to achieve the broader set of goals.
Renewable Energy
Battling the boom of large cars: How to increase the adoption of small battery electric vehicles
On 15.12.2021 by Raphael HörlerAlmost every second new car registered is categorized as a sport-utility-vehicle (SUV) or large car in Switzerland, Europe, China and the U.S. This leads to potential problems like increased greenhouse gas emissions and fatal accidents with pedestrians. What are sustainable alternatives and how can we make them appealing to these customers?
Renewable Energy
Climate Action or Imposed Energy Poverty? The Hypocrisy of COP26 Fossil Fuel International Finance Bans
On 09.12.2021 by Jonah MessingerBy the end of the United Nations (UN) COP26 climate conference, almost forty nations and finance institutions, the vast majority of which are North American or European, agreed to ban public financing for international fossil fuel projects by 2022. Notably, the agreement neglected to apply such measures to the signatory countries themselves. If acted upon, this ban will likely hinder economic growth and cast doubt on aspirations for modernity in much of the developing world. This agreement pins the burden of decarbonization on the very nations least responsible for global warming and in most need of economic development.
Mobility . Renewable Energy . Society . Transportation
Driving or scooting towards shared mobility: what’s in it for urban dwellers?
On 30.11.2021 by Konstantin Krauss“I am dependent on my car!” is a statement widely heard in discussions about passenger transport in Germany. But: are you? Or are there some new options out there that could help you get around? Let us find out what these new options are, what they can do for your mobility, and what they can do to reduce our carbon footprint.
Heating . Renewable Energy . Transportation
Wasserstoff wäre ein Rückschritt
On 25.11.2021 by Anthony PattUm die Erderwärmung einzudämmen muss die Welt bis Mitte Jahrhundert aus der fossilen Energie aussteigen. Wir bewegen uns nun in die richtige Richtung. Nahezu alle neuen Investitionen im Energiesektor fliessen in erneuerbare Energiequellen. Batteriebetriebene Elektrofahrzeuge (BEV) werden immer beliebter. Und die meisten neuen Gebäude heizen nicht fossil. Klar gibt es Hürden. Das alles muss schneller gehen, und es braucht eine konsequentere Klimapolitik. Was den Wandel aus meiner Sicht jedoch am stärksten gefährdet, kommt heute als Teil der Lösung «getarnt» daher: Wasserstoff.
Heating . Renewable Energy . Transportation
Hydrogen won’t help the energy transition
On 25.11.2021 by Anthony PattTo save the climate, the world needs to stop using fossil fuels by mid-century. We are finally headed in the right direction. Nearly all new power-sector investment is going into renewable energy sources. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are becoming popular. Most new buildings are being built with non-fossil heating systems. The pace of change needs to accelerate, and stronger climate policies are required. Yet one of the most serious threats to all of this is currently masquerading as clean energy’s friend: hydrogen.
Carbon Removal . Climate Change . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy . Storage
From the SCCER to SWEET – Past, present and future of energy research at ETH Zurich
On 14.10.2021 by Gianfranco Guidati, Christian SchaffnerAfter the Fukushima disaster, the Swiss Federation decided to boost energy research in support of the Energy Strategy 2050. Its primary goal was to replace nuclear electricity generation with renewables while maintaining a secure and affordable energy supply. This research was organized by Innosuisse within the eight Swiss Competence Centers for Energy Research (SCCER), which came to an end in 2020. Insights from the SCCER have formed the basis for intensified research in the field of energy from 2021 onwards. The new research programme SWiss Energy research for the Energy Transition (SWEET) launched by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, will take on the challenging and exciting task of carrying forward this research as Switzerland works toward net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. While the SCCERs focused on specific aspects of the energy transition (e.g. grids, heat, supply of electricity), the focus of the SWEET programme is on integrating all these aspects with a holistic and systemic approach.
Renewable Energy
Deep-sea mining for our mobility transition: the quest for sustainable batteries
On 09.07.2021 by Leopold PeiselerClimate change is pressing and we need fast decarbonisation of all aspects of life. As a multi-purpose technology, batteries play a central role in the reduction of carbon emissions. However, the current supply chain of Lithium-ion batteries is often associated with environmental and social burdens. Thus, some voices are advocating alternative mining: potato-sized rocks, rich in critical metals. The catch? These rocks lie 4000-6000m deep in the oceans and we have little to no idea about this niche ecosystem or the severity of impacts on it if mining were to occur.
Buildings . Carbon Removal . Consumer Behavior . Energy Efficiency . Renewable Energy . Storage
Wooden buildings: a natural carbon sink boosted by modern manufacturing technologies
On 23.06.2021 by Xuqian YanWood is an ancient construction material, but it has been gradually substituted with concrete and steel. However, the advantages of wood are now being (re)discovered as sustainability becomes a global interest and advanced manufacturing technologies become available. This article focuses on its advantages in carbon capture, digital construction, and prefabrication.
Economics & Policy . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy . Society
Why we need net-zero emissions scenarios for mid-century
On 27.04.2021 by Gianfranco GuidatiOur goal is not to predict the future, rather to shape it. Net-zero scenarios for the energy system help us do that. Although they deliver only a blurred view of the future, they allow us to guess the shape of things to come, and most importantly to formulate actions for today that will put us on the right track.
Renewable Energy
The role of seasonal energy storage in decarbonizing the energy system
On 12.04.2021 by Ivalin Petkov, Paolo GabrielliEnergy storage is required to reliably and sustainably integrate renewable energy into the energy system. Diverse storage technology options are necessary to deal with the variability of energy generation and demand at different time scales, ranging from mere seconds to seasonal shifts. However, only a few technologies are capable of offsetting the long-term (seasonal) mismatch between renewable generation and energy demand. Here we outline the role and potential of seasonal energy storage to decarbonize the energy system.
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Economics & Policy . Renewable Energy
福島から10年後 – When institutional incumbents hinder energy transitions: Japan’s energy story
On 29.03.2021 by Bessie NollBessie is a PhD student in the Energy Politics Group at ETH Zurich studying the transport transition. As part of a mid-PhD internship with the Schweizerische Energie-Stiftung (SES), she travelled to Japan in January 2021 to research and report on the 10-year anniversary of the Fukushima disaster of 2011. A more detailed reporting as part of the SES project can be found here.
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Economics & Policy . Renewable Energy . Society
Embracing globalization to foster the energy transition
On 02.03.2021 by Xuqian YanGlobalization could benefit the energy transition in many ways. Inevitably, however, some factors might hinder the process, such as resistance from the current beneficiaries and concerns for energy security. With an empathetic mindset and willingness to find win-win solutions, we could hopefully solve the issues and fully utilize the power of globalization to foster the energy transition.
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Renewable Energy . Society
Promoting renewable energy sources in Greece: the need for change and the obstacles along the way
On 05.02.2021 by Aimilia PattakouClimate change urges every country to take action. Greece has decided to phase-out lignite, a key fuel in its energy mix, and increase the installed capacity of renewable energy sources. Citizens often oppose new renewable energy investments, like new wind farms. What can the Greek government do to ease this transition?
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Electricity . Energy Efficiency . Renewable Energy . Smart Energy . Society . Transportation
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and car sharing: Joining forces to decarbonize electricity and transport?
On 25.01.2021 by Christine Johanna GschwendtnerHow can we couple future developments in the electricity and transport systems to support decarbonization? Combining Vehicle-to-Grid and car sharing could foster both innovations and achieve synergies in decarbonizing both sectors.
Climate Change . Industry decarbonization . Mobility . Renewable Energy . Society . Transportation
Why electric vehicles are more sustainable than you might think
On 12.01.2021 by Martin BeuseDespite the recent flood of (non-academic) studies claiming differently, battery-powered electric vehicles (BEV) already provide significant environmental benefits over internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. This gap is only widening, as policy, academia, and industry are coming together to rapidly improve BEVs and battery technology in particular.
Buildings . Climate Change . Energy Efficiency . Renewable Energy . Smart Energy
How smart grids will change the way architects have to design buildings
On 30.11.2020 by Christoph WaibelIn order to efficiently integrate intermittent renewable energy into our grids, we need to change the role that buildings play in a city. Instead of being mere consumers, they need to become a swarm of smart prosumers capable of stabilizing the grid. This calls for a new way how architects should design buildings, leading to the next era of architecture: “Energy Responsivism”.
Climate Change . Electricity . Renewable Energy . Society . Transportation
Promoting adoption of electric motorcycles in Nepal: Challenges and Opportunities
On 17.11.2020 by Nilkanth KumarKathmandu’s stark air pollution and limited public transport infrastructure poses a challenge towards achieving sustainable and adequate transport. Motorcycles are the most sought after mode of private mobility in Nepal. Electric motorcycles appear to be a viable and promising solution, but several technological, market and behavioural factors hinder their higher adoption.
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Economics & Policy . Energy Efficiency . Renewable Energy . Society . Transportation
Beyond more Chargers for Electric Vehicles in Zurich
On 10.11.2020 by Gracia BrückmannThe conventional wisdom is that to increase battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake, we need more charging points. However, when we spoke with citizens, car dealership representatives, representatives from car import companies, and local government about the challenges and opportunities for BEVs in Zurich, they mention different challenges, too, and present solutions to overcome them e.g., including BEVs in coherent sustainable transport systems and reducing political uncertainty.
Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy
Accelerating the energy transition in developing countries: Inclusion of women in clean energy strategies
On 16.10.2020 by Cristina de los Angeles Dominguez HernandezIn rural communities, women are the primary energy users as they are the ones performing household chores such as cooking and domestic work. For this reason, they are the most affected along with children from the use of highly-pollutant conventional fuels. Ironically, most of the time they are excluded from clean energy strategies targeted toward transitioning to clean fuels. My research has shown that gender focused initiatives targeting women can play a major role in accelerating this transition to affordable, safe, and reliable energy.
Buildings . Consumer Behavior . Energy Efficiency . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy . Smart Energy . Society
Data exchange via virtual assistants is key to unlocking the full potential of the future energy system
On 01.10.2020 by Matthias SulzerConnecting buildings to a cross-sectoral, decentralized energy system is a proven means of integrating more renewable energy sources and further increasing energy efficiency. However, the operation of such highly interconnected energy systems is becoming painstaking. Data and algorithms will be the key to overcome these pains and to unlock the innovative systems’ full potential.
Consumer Behavior . Electricity . Renewable Energy . Society . Transportation
Charging Stations in Public Parking Spaces: Case Study from Zurich’s Blue Zones
On 16.09.2020 by Ahmad Al MugharbilAlthough electric mobility has established itself commercially, lack of convenient charging infrastructure remains one of the most substantial barriers for buying an electric vehicle, from a customer’s point of view. This is especially the case for people that park their vehicles in public parking zones. This case study from Zurich’s Blue Zones discusses the techno-economic considerations policymakers need to know about investing on public charging infrastructure.
Economics & Policy . Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy
Building Resilience to the Next Pandemic: The “Power” of sub-Saharan Africa’s Off-grid Electricity Sector
On 13.07.2020 by Churchill Omondi AgutuIn the wake of the current global pandemic, building resilience to future pandemics will be on the minds of many policymakers going forward. For sub-Saharan Africa, linking electrification with essential services such as healthcare, clean water and sanitation, could do double duty by expanding electricity access and making these countries more resilient to COVID-19.
Economics & Policy . Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy
Navigating towards the future of renewable energy markets
On 08.07.2020 by Maciej SzybiakThe past decade was undoubtedly a great period for renewable energy (RE) sector. In 2019 alone, the total investment in RE projects worldwide amounted to over USD 250 billion, what equals one-third of the Swiss GDP or construction of 170 Wembley stadiums. However, investing is just the first element in the business puzzle. The question now is how to make RE projects profitable or at least non loss-making. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) seem to be a promising systematic solution
Consumer Behavior . Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy . Smart Energy
Jointly owned PV should be the new solar ownership model / Gemeinschaftliches Eigentum: der neue Ansatz für Photovoltaikanlagen in der Nachbarschaft
On 26.06.2020 by Danielle GriegoAs societies transition from using predominantly centralized energy supply sources to increasing dependency on distributed renewable energy generation, it is no longer enough to singularly focus on energy efficiency. In particular, the time sensitivity of electricity generated from solar and wind must also become an integral part of future electric consumption behavior patterns. In this article, I outline how joint ownership of community-scale PV systems have vast potential to establish long-term and intelligent electricity consumption behavior patterns among co-owners.
Climate Change . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy
Coal phase-out: Conflictive but unavoidable
On 12.06.2020 by jmarkard@ethz.chPhasing-out carbon-intensive technologies and business models is a key element for deep decarbonization. Coal is a prime candidate for phase-out and we cannot waste any time. However, every industry decline creates conflicts. Overcoming these conflicts is the key to success.
Electricity . Renewable Energy
Why we need responsive policies to achieve a rapid energy transition
On 31.05.2020 by Alejandro Nunez-JimenezBecause we are bad at predicting, slow at changing policies, and the stakes are too high. Responsive policies can help to overcome these limitations.
Climate Change . Industry decarbonization . Renewable Energy . Transportation
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Pathways to achieve Net-Zero Carbon Shipping
On 05.05.2020 by Christina NakhleThe time has come to implement the “pollutant pays” principle, set clear emission reduction targets and competitive incentives to enable the decarbonization of the “backbone of our economy”.
Climate Change . Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy . Society
The long way ahead for the energy transition
On 22.04.2020 by Viktoras KulionisConcerns about the consequences of excessive global warming have increased interest in the energy transition. General belief is that the energy transition has been the dominant factor of the increased use of renewable energy. However, only few countries/regions show evidence of an actual energy transition. At the global level, its relevance is short of non-existent when you do the math.
Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy . Society
Electrifying Rwanda: Why mini-grid companies have lost the game
On 07.04.2020 by Churchill Omondi AgutuRwanda’s goal to reach 100% electrification by 2024 relies heavily on off-grid electricity systems, like solar home systems and mini-grids. Based on my recent field research, this will be a tall order for burgeoning solar home system and, especially, mini-grid companies, who face a number of challenges to scale.
Climate Change . Renewable Energy . Society
COVID-19 stimulus packages represent a critical juncture for climate policy
On 02.04.2020 by Nicolas SchmidGovernments around the world have implemented strong, science-based measures against the spread of COVID-19, ranging from border closures to the lockdown of approximately one-third of the world population. As a result, economic activity of most sectors and countries abruptly and strongly decreased. To prevent a global economic and social crisis, governments around the world have proposed massive stimulus programs.
Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy
Switzerland’s strategy will not deliver the solar power it needs. Here’s why. / Die Strategie des Bundesrats wird die benötige Solarenergie nicht liefern. Die Gründe warum.
On 17.02.2020 by Léonore HälgThe Swiss federal council proposes to support large-scale solar PV with competitive auctions for one-off investment grants. This will not scale up solar PV investment to the extent necessary to reach the Swiss climate and energy targets. I offer suggestions on how to improve the proposal.
Buildings . Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy
Photovoltaics on Buildings – Ugly and Expensive or an Opportunity for Creative Design?
On 01.02.2020 by Linus WalkerThe integration of solar energy technologies in buildings has been available for several decades. However, many buildings are still built without any PV or solar thermal collectors, which in my opinion is an intolerable situation.
Buildings . Energy Efficiency . Heating . Renewable Energy
Retrofitting for good: insights from the Swiss Household Energy Demand Survey
On 25.11.2019 by Anna StünziFindings from the Swiss Household and Energy Demand Survey shed new light on the willingness to live in a more energy-efficient building. Most surprisingly: more than 50% of the participating tenants would accept a higher rent increase than the expected savings from their energy bills after the renovation.
Electricity . Energy Supply . Renewable Energy
Understanding the Scale of Back-up Generation in the Developing World
On 06.11.2019 by Yael BorofskyThanks to unreliable electricity grids, fossil-fuel powered generators in low- and middle-income countries constitute as much generation capacity as up to 1,000 coal-fired plants, finds a new report from the IFC and the Schatz Energy Research Center. That sounds bad for the climate and public health, but generators also help people stay out of poverty…
Climate Change . Electricity . Energy Efficiency . Heating . Renewable Energy
Natural gas: a bridge fuel to nowhere
On 20.10.2019 by Ivalin PetkovWhy we have already ‘crossed the bridge’, necessitating a phase-out and heavy divestment from natural gas. The solutions are reliable, cost-competitive, and ready – decarbonized renewable energy sources with storage.
Consumer Behavior . Electricity . Renewable Energy
Cheap solar alone would not prevent a renewable energy gap
On 06.10.2019 by Alejandro Nunez-JimenezThe energy-efficiency gap describes how firms and individuals underinvest in profitable energy-saving technologies.
Renewable Energy . Society
Energy: It’s everywhere, yet we don’t talk about it
On 24.09.2019 by Florian Manuel EgliWelcome! You have found the Energy Blog @ ETH, a newly founded initiative to foster a debate around energy research and policy. We know there is fascinating work coming out of ETH Zurich, but often the work is very specific and its implications for society, policymakers, and individuals do not easily get across. Given the unprecedented challenges to transform our energy system, academic ivory towers do not work. We are here to break them up and mix science with policy and society.