Security of electricity supply: Can the industry sector fix the Swiss winter deficit?
On 28.11.2022 by Marius Schwarz, Lukas FedererSecurity of electricity supply and electricity costs have become major business concerns for the Swiss industry sector. On the current trajectory towards a clean energy system, situations in winter with reduced availability of electricity followed by soaring prices may occur more regularly. With Switzerland establishing a strategic reserve to overcome electricity shortage situations, we argue in this blog post that demand-side measures – especially load reductions by industry – should be part of such a reserve, even if the contribution may be small. We present our findings from quantitative assessments and insights from expert interviews.
Tackling the energy crisis in Europe is a common effort
On 23.11.2022 by Jacob MannhardtThe secret to getting through the energy crisis is that everyone in Europe does their part. And a bit of luck. In this blogpost, we highlight some preliminary results from our investigation of the gas shortage in Europe – because winter is here but Russian gas is not. We model the optimal response to the gas crisis to outline a potential strategy for European countries to get through this daunting situation.
Climate protection benefits the economy
On 07.11.2022 by Anthony PattWhile the economic impacts of climate policy are generally perceived as costs, Anthony Patt proposes the opposite perspective. For Switzerland, converting the energy system and reaching the net-zero target may net benefit the economy, he finds.
Did you know that access to electricity is not recognized as a universal human right?
On 01.11.2022 by Vanja DjinlevElectricity consumption is closely and positively related with global economic and human development across different geographical, social, and cultural contexts. As a Sustainable Development Goal (Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy) and as an integral part of the water-energy-food nexus, access to electricity is vital to our individual and collective security and well-being. Despite the importance, access to electricity is not explicitly recognized as a universal human right. This blog article outlines the way to make access to clean, affordable and reliable electricity a universal human right, and explores the practical implications of the action.
Context matters and electrification models should reflect it
On 18.10.2022 by Churchill Omondi Agutu, Florian Manuel EgliThis blogpost discusses a key shortcoming in electrification models used by policymakers and international organizations to chart electricity access pathways in sub-Saharan Africa – unrealistic financing cost assumptions. We highlight why this often overlooked flaw in electrification models could slacken efforts to reach universal electricity access by 2030 and highlight why it matters.
Is there a role for blue hydrogen in a green energy transition?
On 23.09.2022 by Russell McKenna, Anna Peecock, Alfonso Martinez-FelipeThe global energy transition requires a dramatic shift towards renewable and low-carbon energy technologies. Hydrogen is one of these and can be used to store intermittent solar and wind power. As well as being produced from green electricity by electrolysis, it can also be manufactured by capturing and storing carbon dioxide during the conversion of natural gas. This blog article sheds light on the role that these two options of low-carbon hydrogen production could play in the near and far future.
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.
Buildings . Economics & Policy . Energy Efficiency . Heating
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.
Heating . 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 . 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.
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.
Economics & Policy . Energy Supply . 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.
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 . 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 . Industry decarbonization . Mobility . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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
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 . 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.
Economics & Policy . Electricity . Energy Supply
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.
Climate Change . Industry decarbonization . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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
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 . Energy Efficiency . Heating
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.
Climate Change . Electricity . Energy Efficiency . Heating
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
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.