“From tomorrow, we’ll live on credit”

Switzerland’s energy supply is characterised by a high degree of foreign dependency. Three-quarters of our energy is imported over long distances.

In Switzerland, some retailers such as Lidl Switzerland (pictured) and Migros are already relying on biogas trucks, among other things, to sustainably reduce CO₂ emissions. Source: Lidl Switzerland

Every year, Switzerland transfers an average of around CHF 10 billion for energy supplies abroad, which provides us with the necessary petroleum products, gas and nuclear fuels. The so-called “Energy Independence Day” symbolises the high degree of foreign dependency in energy supply. The Swiss Energy Foundation (SES) has already calculated this as  13 April. With an energy independence rate of just 28.1%, Switzerland is in the lower mid-table of European countries. Estonia and Iceland lead the way with almost 90%. Luxembourg, Cyprus and Malta, with an energy independence rate of less than 10%, are at the bottom of the table. Over the past 20 years, Switzerland has steadily increased its energy independence. In the future, the Energy Strategy 2050 adopted by the Swiss people and the Federal Council’s net-zero target by 2050 will give further impetus to the replacement of fossil fuels and the development of domestic energy sources.

In light of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the current debate on the security of energy supply and the great need for action on climate protection, the importance of domestic and renewable energy sources such as water, wind and solar energy, as well as biogas, will increase. By using biomass more consistently, which is burned far too often rather than used, Switzerland could reduce its dependency on (fossil) energy imports. In addition, security of supply will be increased and new regional jobs will be created at the same time. “Bioenergy has not yet exhausted its potential for development: this applies in particular to the expansion of the circular economy through the use of residual and waste materials,” reveals Pascal Lenzin from Energie Wasser Bern.

“Currently, the supply of gas and biogas is not at risk. However, higher procurement prices on the markets are causing prices to move in the individual regions. We are also seeing increased demand for biogas,” says the Mobility Product Manager at Energie Wasser Bern. Denmark and Sweden are the leading biogas producers that have offered biogas throughout Europe and also used it themselves. Two years ago, they already delivered 100% and 95% biogas respectively to users of CNG vehicles at their 17 and 205 CNG filling stations respectively. By contrast, the share of biogas in Switzerland was just 26% at the end of 2021.

A biogas plant on the edge of a rapeseed field in the German state of Brandenburg. Source: iStock

The market is responding to the increased demand for biogas: producers are increasing their capacities. “We expect to be able to increase the proportion of biogas in the coming years,” says Pascal Lenzin. “Unfortunately, I am unable to give a specific figure, as this is at the discretion of the individual gas suppliers.” Biogas and biomethane are renewable gases with enormous potential for reducing emissions in many sectors of the economy – including industry, building, agriculture and mobility. This is largely due to sustainable production paths based on a circular economy.

With biogas in the tank, even large trucks powered by CNG are almost CO2-neutral on the road – already today and not just in 2050! Source: CNG-Mobility.ch

The EU Commission estimates that at least 44 billion cubic metres or 467 terawatt hours of biogas and biomethane will be available by 2030. There are currently 37 plants in Switzerland that produce biogas and feed it into the gas grid. In addition to these large plants, there are also hundreds of smaller biogas plants that use the biogas directly on site. The conference of cantonal energy agencies examined the potential of biogas in a study in 2018 and came to a total potential of 6.6 terawatt hours in Switzerland. “Not all of that is usable because it is not located close to existing gas grids and could therefore not be fed in at a reasonable price,” Lenzin points out. “But if you calculate the currently unused biomass that could be processed into biogas in the foreseeable future, you get almost 4 terawatt hours.” The potential has to be tapped. This makes it possible to replace fossil fuels with sustainable ones, including Swiss biogas that is available and can be used quickly, which in turn will help to reduce the country’s high degree of foreign dependency and thus also push the date of the Swiss Energy Independence Day further back. (jas, 12 April 2022)