The Technology Assessment group is part of the multi-disciplinary Laboratory for Energy systems Analysis (LEA) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and is the continuation of the former GaBE Project. Technology Assessment incorporates a comprehensive range of research areas to achieve three main objectives:
- To improve understanding and thereby enable comparisons of current energy technologies and future energy options for the electricity, heating and transport sectors based on environmental, economic and socially relevant factors.
- To provide quantitative, systematic, and interdisciplinary assessments of energy technologies and energy supply strategies through the development and application of consistent methodological frameworks and databases.
- To support rational decision-making for sustainable development in the Swiss and international energy sectors, and to communicate balanced research findings to decision-makers and stakeholders.
Latest News
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.
Ein komplexes Versprechen
Zur klimaneutralen Luftfahrt gehört mehr als nur die Reduktion der Emissionen beim Fliegen selbst. Eine Studie des PSI analysiert, was zum Erreichen des Fernziels nötig ist.
Schnell wie ein Flug, sauber wie ein Zug
In einer schweizweiten Zusammenarbeit haben Forschende die voraussichtlichen Umweltauswirkungen von sogenannten Hyperloop-Systemen untersucht.
Latest Publications
Liu, Z., Zhang, M., Bauer, C., McKenna, R. (2025). The role of low carbon fuels towards net-zero in integrated assessment models and energy system models: A critical review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 215. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115608
Udriot, M., Treyer, K., Fischer, J.S., David, E., Urbano, A., De Oliveira, A., Wolf, E., Girardin, V., Verkammen, M.H.G. (2024). Sustainability of end-to-end space transportation missions: Modelling technical and environmental aspects for early phases ecodesign decision support. International Astronautical Congress 2024, 14-18 October, Milan.
Weinold, M. (2025). Letter to the Editor regarding “A comparison and methodological proposal for hybrid approaches to quantify environmental impacts: A case study for renewable energies”. Science of the Total Environment. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178388
Open Positions
We are looking for Master, Semester and Project students to join the group!
MSc Thesis Openings
Semester Project Openings
The Master in Energy Science and Technology (MEST) program of ETH Zurich also advertises positions.
Open Now
MSc Thesis:
Policy Measures for the Swiss Energy Transition