Review SWEET Conference - Diverse Insights into Energy Research

On September 6, 2023, the energy research community met in Bern for the second SWEET conference. This provided a platform for exchange between energy research and implementation partners from the private sector, associations, cantons, cities, municipalities and the federal government.

Using VR goggles to explore the energy supply in 2050 on a Swiss map or slip into the role of an energy supplier in an online game and experience how decisions affect the energy system: At the SWEET conference, the participants not only learned in presentations where the research of the current consortia stands. During the breaks, they had the opportunity to get to know the projects interactively at the "marketplace" and to exchange ideas with the researchers. To promote networking beyond SWEET, three projects from programs of Innosuisse, the National Center for Climate Change(NCCS) and the SFOE(P+D) were presented.

Rethinking simulations
For the CoSi (Co-Evolution and Coordinated Simulation of the Swiss Energy System and Swiss Society) consortium, which won the grant earlier this year, Prof. Hannes Weigt of the University of Basel fielded questions from the moderator, "Where do you see the core of the tasks? What activities are planned?" As called for in the RFP, the consortium sees the core task as coordinating simulations of the Swiss energy system and involving the humanities and social sciences more closely in the energy research community. In January, a first meeting is planned with "non-modelers", i.e. researchers who have not yet dealt with energy scenarios and models. At this meeting, needs will be identified that will later be incorporated into the models. Weigt sees an advantage in the long duration of the consortium, which will run for ten years. This would allow the researchers to develop an integrated model in three phases. Between the three "runs," there is enough time to make adjustments and optimize the model.

During the breaks, participants were able to make contact with the consortia at market stalls.

The crux with digital energy data
Models and simulations require data. However, collecting energy data digitally and making it available to research is not one of Switzerland's strengths, as the CROSSDat activity has already shown(article in energeiaplus). With three short presentations by experts from the federal government, research and an energy supplier and a subsequent discussion, the topic was explored in greater depth at the SWEET conference. The conclusion was that a lot of data is available, but not yet available. However, the effort for energy suppliers to prepare the data should not be underestimated. In addition to energy data, data on politics are also in demand in research. But these are not systematically collected and updated. There are many reasons why data is lacking. Incentives and legal foundations are lacking. In addition, a "cocktail of uncertainty" prevents a more relaxed approach to data. While Germany is struggling with similar challenges, England and the Nordic countries are much further along.

Limits on domestic renewable fuels
A first insight into the planned work was also provided by the second consortium to win a tender this year: "reFuel.ch" on the topic of "Sustainable Renewable Fuels". As Christian Bach from Empa explained, one of the focuses of their work is the production of fuels and platform chemicals abroad. This is because there is a lack of space for new large-scale plants in Switzerland, he said, and not enough renewable electricity can be made available for additional applications in the foreseeable future.

The conference presentations and posters are available here.

SWEET - "SWiss Energy research for the Energy Transition" - is a funding program of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). The aim of SWEET is to promote innovations that contribute significantly to the successful implementation of the Energy Strategy 2050 and the achievement of Switzerland's climate goals.

Irene Bättig, Sprachwerk GmbH on behalf of the SWEET office, Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)
Images: SFOE