Current and future energy performance of power generation technologies in Switzerland

With greenhouse gas emissions of fossil fuel-based energy systems posing a substantial threat to climate stability, societies worldwide recognise the need to transform their electricity generation portfolios fundamentally. In Switzerland, the ratification of the Paris Agreement and the decision to phase out nuclear power laid the foundation for realizing a new energy strategy with renewable energy technologies at its heart. Assessing which power generation technologies are suitable to maintain security of supply while keeping carbon emissions low and electricity prices affordable, is, however, not trivial. Besides economic performance indicators and environmental indicators (both of which have been studied before), also energy performance indicators such as the non-renewable Cumulative Energy Demand (nr-CED) or the energy return on energy investment (EROI) can assist policy makers in comparing technological options.

These indicators compare a technology’s ability to make primary energy resources useful for society, and thus offer a complementary perspective independent from current price levels. This study provides a consistent comparison of the present-day energy performance of power generation technologies, which can be considered relevant for the Swiss context. The analysis covers both renewable power generation technologies such as hydro power, wind power and photovoltaics, which are at the core of Switzerland’s Energy Strategy 2050, and nuclear and fossil-fuel based technologies that are heavily used in neighbouring countries and are relevant given Switzerland’s integration in the European electricity market.

Furthermore, it provides a forward-looking assessment based on a novel dynamic energy performance indicator, taking into account possible learning effects with respect to material and energy efficiency. Our results highlight the strong energy performance of hydropower. The study also shows a significant energetic improvement of solar PV and wind power over the last decades, making them a viable option in Switzerland from an energy performance perspective today. Consequently, concerns that the nuclear phase out and extension of renewables jeopardizes net energy efficiency and prosperity in Switzerland seem unfounded.

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