The interdivisional PSI Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis conducts analytical research on diverse energy technologies and systems.
It unites specific analytical research concerning diverse energy technologies and systems, including nuclear, fossil and (modern) renewables. In cooperation with external partners (e.g. the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ) and many others), LEA carries out energy systems analyses relevant for energy policy issues as well as safety analysis based on Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) and focused on Human Reliability Assessment (HRA). LEA is led by Prof. Dr. Russell McKenna and monitored by a Steering Committee consisting of Prof. Dr. Andreas Pautz (NES Div. Head) and Prof. Thomas J. Schmidt (ENE Div. Head). In April 2017, Stefan Hirschberg retired after serving as the Head of the laboratory since its establishment in 2006. He is now a Senior Level Advisor, contributing to the leadership and continuity of selected activities. Since February 2022, LEA is strongly linked to the Chair of Energy Systems Analysis at the D-MAVT Department of ETHZ.
The LEA areas of activities fall into three main areas:
Lab News & Scientific Highlights
Net zero: Taking raw materials into account
A new calculation model from PSI illustrates the complex interdependencies between technology, demand for critical raw materials, and environmental impacts on the road to climate neutrality.
Decarbonizing Building Construction
The buildings we live and work in are changing – becoming smarter, more efficient, and powered by cleaner energy. But while we’ve made strides in reducing operational emissions, there’s a hidden carbon footprint that remains largely overlooked: the emissions locked into the materials themselves.
“The biggest challenge is lacking public acceptance of wind turbines”
In an interview with ETH News, Russell McKenna, an expert in energy system analysis, explains where he sees the greatest need for action in order to further develop wind energy.
Publications
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Brazzola N, Meskaldji A, Patt A, Tröndle T, Moretti C
The role of direct air capture in achieving climate-neutral aviation
Nature Communications. 2025; 16: 588 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55482-6
DORA PSI -
Hahn Menacho AJ, Sacchi R, Bauer C, Panos E, McKenna R, Burgherr P
The material-energy nexus in net-zero transition scenarios: exploring environmental trade-offs and uncertainties
Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2025; 218: 108251 (12 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108251
DORA PSI -
Huang H, Metzger DJ, Siskos E, Burgherr P
Analyzing Swiss energy policy through a fuzzy BWM-PROMETHEE approach: a socio-political multi-criteria decision analysis
In: Rezaei J, Brunelli M, Mohammadi M, eds. Proceedings of the fifth international workshop on best–worst method (BWM2024). Lecture notes in operations research. Cham: Springer Nature; 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-76766-1
DORA PSI