2024-01-21 06:20:34
The development of renewable energies is at the heart of the Confederation’s strategy, which wants to quintuple the production of solar and wind power. A realistic objective, according to a study by the Polytechnic Schools and the University of Geneva. To achieve this, three scenarios are put on the table.
In addition to hydraulic energy – with a project to build 16 new hydroelectric installations, which is being attacked by a referendum (see box) – the Confederation’s ambitious objective is to produce 35 TWh of renewable electricity by 2035 , or five times more than currently.
According to a study by the Federal Polytechnic Schools and the University of Geneva (UNIGE), this figure seems realistic. “With this objective, Switzerland might have an entirely or almost entirely renewable electricity supply by 2035,” confirmed Professor Evelina Trutnevyte, head of the “Renewable Energy Systems” group at UNIGE, this week in the 7:30 p.m. on RTS.
Three scenarios considered
To achieve this, the researchers propose three possible scenarios.
The first combines new technologies: a mix of discreet solar installations on roofs and facades, wind turbines on the Jura mountains and energy from biomass.
The second scenario plans to focus on individual photovoltaics. Concretely, each home would be equipped with solar panels and individual batteries. This electricity production would be supplemented by the construction of a few Alpine solar parks.
The third scenario focuses on productivity: concentrating infrastructure on the most productive sites, such as solar parks in the Alpine cantons and wind turbines on the Jura Arc.
A cycle path topped with an installation of solar panels, on the road to Satigny (GE). [Salvatore Di Nolfi – Keystone]
Favored technological diversity
For the president of the Conference of Cantonal Energy Directors Roberto Schmidt, it is clearly the first scenario, that of technological diversity, which has the most chance of succeeding. “Hydroelectricity will always remain the backbone of our production. We must then focus on technological diversity: we cannot afford today to simply target a single source like photovoltaics, we also need wood, biomass, wind power. I believe there is potential everywhere,” he explained in the 7:30 p.m.
This opinion is shared by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), for which diversifying rather than concentrating new installations would have more success with the population.
It’s a question of pace, how quickly we install new sources of production. This requires resources
Benoît Revaz, director of the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)
However, the challenges to achieving this are still numerous. “It’s a question of pace, how quickly we install new production sources. For that, resources are needed. Another issue will be the intelligent integration of this decentralized production into the electricity system,” explains Benoît Revaz, director of the OFEN.
If the first scenario were to be applied in Switzerland, the authors of the study estimate the investment necessary to produce this new green electricity at 1.7 billion francs per year.
Julien von Roten/Pierre Nebel/kkub
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