ReFuel.ch

The SWEET ReFuel.ch is a project financed by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, which focuses on developing robust and practical pathways for introducing sustainable fuels and platform chemicals into markets and the Swiss energy system. This includes leveraging underutilized domestic biomass and other renewable resources in Switzerland and abroad. Achieving Switzerland’s ambitious net-zero timeline necessitates accelerated market development and integration of these innovations. ReFuel.ch adopts an inter- and transdisciplinary approach structured into two key components: implementation-oriented, addressing policy and market readiness to ensure seamless adoption, and technology-oriented, advancing next-generation technologies that improve efficiency, selectivity, and load flexibility.

The Technology Assessment Group at PSI conducts comprehensive environmental Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of novel production pathways for sustainable fuels and platform chemicals and their use, e.g. e-fuels, in planes or ships or Swiss industries. Our work involves developing parameterized and prospective LCA models that incorporate the entire lifecycle—production, distribution, and end-use—of these fuels and chemicals. Through this analysis, we quantify net greenhouse gas reductions, as well as impacts on human health, ecosystems, and resource demand, with a geographically and temporally differentiated perspective. The insights provided by these LCA models will be key in determining the environmental performance and sustainability implications of potential pathways. By offering LCA-based metrics, we aim to identify trade-offs, co-benefits, and potential environmental risks, supporting Switzerland’s efforts to scale up sustainable fuel technologies in line with its transition strategies and respective needs.