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...
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...
Dr. Iryna Doronina Senior Researcher at ETH in collaboration with PLUS, for the first time in Ukraine, mapped all energy infrastructure in Ukraine (more than 1700 units), identified energy sector damages and calculated detailed renewable energy potential by region, using...
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...
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...
For Anthony Patt, Europe’s ambitious plans for a hydrogen economy may be too ambitious, tipping the scales towards the interests of the fossil fuel industry, rather than energy consumers and the climate. Switzerland should be careful before jumping fully on...
Gabriela Hug – an expert in power transmission networks – argues that securing an affordable energy supply from renewable sources is not a utopian ideal for Switzerland, but rather a practical and feasible necessity.
Community solar systems, defined as medium to large-scale PV installations co-owned by multiple building owners and/or tenants, offer one option to increase PV adoption in cities. This blogpost summarizes the findings of our recent paper that explores if, by how...
To decarbonize our economy, electricity will replace oil and natural gas as the primary energy carrier. Where should that power come from? Many people argue that all of it should be produced domestically. Careful analysis suggests some share of it...
Electricity systems require more and more flexibility to integrate increasing shares of variable renewable electricity and avoid costly grid expansion. The demand side - involving electricity end-users - will be key in providing relatively cheap flexibility. Looking beyond the technical...
America’s recently passed climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), provides strong support for accelerated adoption of clean vehicles in the US. Subsidies are generous for consumers looking to go electric, but only for vehicles that meet strict geographic requirements...
The 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...
