NCCR-CLIMATE Phase II (WP4): Energy Technology Strategies (ETS)

Research activities in ETS during the second phase of NCCR-Climate will consolidate and extend previous efforts in various fronts. Firstly, technology strategies towards the 2-kW society in Switzerland will be examined. Achieving an efficient, cost-effective, safe, less vulnerable and environmentally compatible energy system is a very important step towards ensuring sustainability in Switzerland. The 2-kW society, i.e. a Swiss energy system with a yearly per-capita primary-energy consumption of 2000 W, has been seen as an alternative path to achieve sustainability goals in the Swiss energy sector in the very long term. Although highly ambitious from today's perspective, a 2-kW society could bring benefits in terms of climate change and security of energy supply, among others. It is important to conceive strategies to make this vision operational and examine their technological, economic, environmental and social dimensions. In particular, it is necessary to identify realistically achievable intermediate goals, the energy-technology strategies compatible with these goals, to estimate the associated costs and benefits, to assess their impact on relevant sustainability indicators and define supporting policy measures. Secondly, the role of biomass in the Swiss energy system will be examined, with emphasis on the contribution of biofuels. The introduction of carbon-neutral, biomass-based energy carriers could contribute to displace carbon-intensive fossil fuels from the energy markets, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing security of energy supply. Specifically, biofuels could play an important role in the transportation sector. It is necessary to conduct an evaluation of the potential of the biomass option in the Swiss energy system under alternative socio-economic and technological conditions. This requires the examination of the most effective routes for the use of biomass in the Swiss energy system, the social, economic, technological and institutional barriers and opportunities for bio-energy development and the measures that could stimulate the penetration of biofuels.
The overarching questions of WP4.1 (ETS) of NCCR-Climate/Phase II are as follows:
  1. Which are the energy technology strategies towards the 2-kW society in Switzerland?
  2. How could these energy technology strategies be implemented, which are the acceptability issues and supporting policy instruments in the Swiss context?
  3. Which is the role of biofuels in mitigation strategies in Switzerland?

Our analysis will be conducted primarily using the energy-system Swiss MARKAL model. The MARKAL approach refers to a perfect-foresight, optimization model with a detailed representation of energy technologies at the primary, secondary and useful energy levels. Due to the latter characteristic, these models are commonly referred to as "bottom-up" models. The Swiss MARKAL model will be used to develop alternative scenarios of the evolution of the Swiss energy system in the next 50 years.
In order to obtain insights into the economic consequences of alternative technological trajectories of the energy system, the Swiss MARKAL model will be coupled to macro-economic models of Switzerland developed by other partners within WP4 of NCCR-Climate. In addition, we will use the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) methodology, in order to examine specific questions related to the role of biofuels in the Swiss context.
  • Prof. A. Wokaun (PI)
  • L. Barreto
  • S. Kypreos
  • T.F. Schulz
  • M. Spielmann
  • T. Gül
Schulz, T., S. Kypreos, L. Barreto and A. Wokaun (2008). Intermediate Steps Towards a 2000 Watt Society in Switzerland: An Energy-Economic Scenario Analysis, Energy Policy, Vol. 36(4), pp. 1303-1317, DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2007.12.006

Schulz, T., L. Barreto, S. Kypreos, S. Stucki (2007). Assessing wood-based synthetic natural gas technologies using the SWISS-MARKAL model, Energy, Vol. 32(10), pp. 1948-1959, DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2007.03.006

Barreto, L., T. Schulz and S. Kypreos (2006). Impact of CO2 Constraints on the Swiss Energy System: A long-term Analysis with the Swiss MARKAL Model. Contribution to the NCCR-Climate WP4 Report to the Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU) on "Climate Vulnerability and Policy in a Post-Kyoto World", Paul Scherrer Institute

Schulz, T.F., L. Barreto, S. Kypreos and S. Stucki (2006). Assessment of Biomass-based Synthetic Natural Gas Technologies with the Swiss Energy-System MARKAL Model, NCCR-Climate WP4 Research Paper Series, Download (0.8MB)

Spielmann, M. (2006). Life cycle Inventories for Swiss passenger cars, Report for the Swiss Centre of Life Cycle Inventories, Paul Scherrer Institute

Schulz, T. (2007). Intermediate Steps towards the 2000-Watt Society in Switzerland: An Energy-Economic Scenario Analysis, Ph.D. Thesis, Nr. 17314, ETH Zürich, Abstract (0.2MB)

Ragettli, M. (2007). Cost Outlook for the Production of Biofuels, Master Thesis, ETH Zürich, Download (1.6MB)
Kypreos, S., T. Schulz and A. Wokaun (2007). The Vision of a 2000-Watt Society: An Energy-Economic Analysis for Switzerland, 4th European Congress, 27-30 November, Porto, Portugal, Presentation

Schulz T.F, L. Barreto, S. Kypreos and S. Stucki (2006). Assessing Wood-Based Synthetic Natural Gas Technologies using the Swiss-MARKAL model, International Energy Workshop, 27-29 June, Cape Town, South Africa, Presentation

Wokaun, A., S. Kypreos, L. Barreto, D. Krzyzanowski, P. Rafaj and T. Schulz (2005). Strategien für eine kosteneffiziente Klimaschutzpolitik, Swiss NCCR-Climate 2005 Pitstop Conference (Boxenstopp), 17 May, Bern, Switzerland, Presentation