In a prospective life cycle assessment, we assessed and compared the environmental impacts of technological options to decarbonise the shipping sector, comparing e-ammonia, e-methanol, e-LNG, e-FT diesel and ship-based carbon capture and storage. The findings highlight that while no single...
Power outages affect individuals, cutting off access to services like lighting, air conditioning, and communication. Here, we draw on our recent paper to explain how power system failures affect individuals, how we can measure the human impacts of outages, and...
How can the Bündner Rheintal, an urban-industrial cluster, achieve cost-effective decarbonization despite having CO₂ emissions per capita that are two times higher than the Swiss average? Researchers from Empa, in collaboration with the Canton of Graubünden, regional energy providers, and...
With the Swiss energy transition underway, homeowners might consider investing in a photovoltaics (PV) system. However, the optimal PV system design depends on the homeowner’s preferences: We show that if the primary goal is to save money, one might favor...
Private investors allocate more money to green mutual funds if they receive an education about sustainable finance. We designed a crash course in sustainable investing and showed its power to help individuals align their values with their money.
To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, Switzerland anticipates significantly expanding solar photovoltaics and electrifying heating and transport, coinciding with the country’s aimed nuclear phase-out. However, this development creates a seasonal imbalance, with high summer electricity generation but peak demand in...
Cities and their urban transformations are critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our new research shows that European cities tend to prioritize environmental and technical issues, such as biodiversity or transportation, while their residents prefer issues linked to their...
As climate change accelerates and CO2 emissions reductions alone prove insufficient to meet climate targets, carbon removal has become essential for tackling hard-to-abate emissions. However, deploying carbon removal at scale presents a critical challenge for governments: How can they ensure...
A significant amount of electricity is required to keep trams and buses warm during the winter. How can we reduce this excessive energy consumption? As part of the EnergyNow! 2.0 Impact Accelerator Program, TempTrim was developed as a tool to...
Electricity autarky is a sensitive topic in Swiss politics, with electricity supply in winter often being the centre of attention. The bill on a secure electricity supply, voted on June 9, 2024, introduced a new provision aiming to limit net...
The time to commission and install new renewable energy projects has increased over the past decade. In short, we are building slower. Here, we explore factors that have affected timelines and suggest how to accelerate climate action.
Net zero economies will need carbon capture, transport, and storage (CCTS) to decarbonize CO2-intensive industries, like cement production, and compensate for residual emissions from agriculture or aviation. Achieving the magnitudes of CCTS needed for net zero requires an infrastructure capable...
