6 June 2023
by Alex Brinded

A carbon-neutral Switzerland could save 30% costs

A carbon neutral and energy independent Switzerland by 2050 could save 30% on costs compared to 2020. 

© Ricardo Gomez Angel / unsplash

The model was designed by scientists at the Swiss universities École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and HES-SO Valais-Wallis.

They find that Switzerland needs to boost photovoltaic (PV) and wind electricity, with an economic optimum covering 60% of Switzerland's roof area with PV systems.

The research was led by EPFL's François Maréchal, who concludes that, 'The main difference here is the nature of the costs: the current Swiss energy system is based primarily on (cheap) imports rather than investment. In contrast, the future system we have modelled is based on local investment, the use of our own resources, and appears to be the most economical and resilient choice in the long run.'

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Authors

Alex Brinded

Staff Writer