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
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.
«Die grösste Herausforderung ist die fehlende Akzeptanz für Windkraftanlagen»
Russell McKenna, Experte für Energiesystemanalyse, erzählt im Interview mit den ETH-News, wo er den grössten Handlungsbedarf sieht, um die Windenergie weiterzuentwickeln.
Russell McKenna and Andreas Pautz on Energy Production in Switzerland
“If we exclude individual measures, it just means that we need more of the others.”
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 -
Huang H, Brusselaers N, De Smet Y, Macharis C
Engaging stakeholders in construction transport policy: a mass-participation framework
Case Studies on Transport Policy. 2025; 19: 101359 (16 pp.). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2024.101359
DORA PSI -
Huang H, Sun S, Mommens K, Macharis C
The MAMCABM framework for the evaluation of mobility decision‐making problems: theory and practice
International Transactions in Operational Research. 2025; 32(4): 1950-1976. https://doi.org/10.1111/itor.13544
DORA PSI