Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Society
Unser Beitrag zum Klimaschutz – Was können wir selbst und was kann die Schweiz tun?
On 27.05.2021 by Christian Schaffner, Anthony Patt, Marco MazzottiHeute ist nationaler Klimatag in der Schweiz. Wir haben nicht mehr viel Zeit, um unsere Klimaziele zu erreichen und den von uns versprochenen Anteil im Kampf gegen die Klimaerwärmung umzusetzen. Aber wir haben bereits heute ganz konkrete Möglichkeiten, einen Beitrag zu leisten. Sei das in der Wahl unseres nächsten Autos, bei der Sanierung unseres Eigenheims, oder bei der Wahl der Feriendestination. Und dabei kann die Schweiz zu einem Vorzeigeland von technisch, wirtschaftlich und auch gesellschaftlich machbaren Lösungen für eine nachhaltige Energieversorgung werden. Packen wir es an!
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Society
Our contribution to climate mitigation – What can we do personally and what can Switzerland do?
On 27.05.2021 by Christian Schaffner, Anthony Patt, Marco MazzottiToday is National Climate Day in Switzerland. We don’t have much time left to reach our climate goals and to implement our promised share in the fight against global warming – but we already have concrete ways to contribute today! Be it in the choice of our next car, the refurbishment of our own home, or the choice of our vacation destination. Switzerland could become a showcase country for technically, economically and socially feasible solutions for a sustainable energy supply. Let’s do it!
Buildings . Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Economics & Policy . Heating . Smart Energy . Society
Keeping it cool in Switzerland: The critical impact of air-conditioning uptake
On 11.05.2021 by Robin Mutschler, Philipp Heer, Sven Eggimann, Martin RuedisueliToday, only a minority of Swiss households have air conditioners installed for cooling. This might change due to the warming climate and the growing integration of heat pumps to new buildings, which can be used for heating and cooling. The Swiss cooling energy demand may reach a similar order of magnitude compared to the heating demand by mid-century onwards, which could have a significant impact on the energy system.
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.
Carbon Removal . Consumer Behavior . Economics & Policy . Energy Supply . Society
Let’s pay more attention to the co-benefits of Switzerland’s decarbonization targets
On 19.04.2021 by Massimo Filippini, Florian Landis, Gustav Fredriksson, Jonas SavelsbergTo help keep global warming in check, Switzerland has committed to a net-zero emissions target by the mid-century. The required energy transition will likely give rise to costs, but it will also yield large co-benefits in terms of, for instance, improved health outcomes from less pollution. These benefits from the energy transition are, however, often overlooked. We argue that to take sound decisions related to the energy transition, it is important to consider all the associated costs as well as benefits.
Society . Uncategorized
A voice from exile – Life after Fukushima
On 07.04.2021 by Bessie NollFutaba, host of the Fukushima prefecture TEPCO Daiichi nuclear power plant, was evacuated in March, 2011. It has since remained empty. Only recently reopened to the public, Futaba now resembles that of a forgotten ghost town, waiting quietly for life to resume. For Matsueda Atsushi, a once proud Futaba resident, a return home is ridden with doubt and unease.
Consumer Behavior . Electricity . Smart Energy . Society . Storage
The hitchhiker’s guide to navigating battery misinformation
On 15.02.2021 by Varun DuggalUnprecedented technological advances, drastic cost declines, and the global transition toward low-carbon infrastructure have made batteries one of the most important technologies of our times. Separating facts about batteries from fiction is vital, especially in a time of rampant misinformation. This guide highlights some of the red flags you should look out for while traversing the seemingly infinite universe of battery information.
Climate Change . Consumer Behavior . Electricity . Energy Efficiency . 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 . 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.
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.
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.
Consumer Behavior . Electricity . 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.