immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Energy

  • BKW is stepping up its presence in two growth markets

    BKW is stepping up its presence in two growth markets

    In a press release , BKW announced the takeover of Arnold und Gladisch Objektplanung Generalplanung GmbH from Berlin and Dr. Blasy-Dr. Øverland Ingenieure GmbH from Eching am Ammersee announced.

    As the Bern-based energy and infrastructure company has announced, the success of the BKW Engineering network is to be continued and expanded with the new partners from Germany. In addition, company growth is important in order to successfully position oneself in competition with "multidisciplinary market leaders".

    The portfolio of the German companies promises an increase in competence for the growth markets of residential construction, safe construction, water and environment, it is said. Blasy Øverland contributes its expertise in water management, hydraulic engineering and environmental planning. The Arnold und Gladisch architectural office focuses on residential construction and safety-compliant construction.

    The BKW Group specializes in planning and consulting for energy, infrastructure and environmental projects and covers building technology, including the construction, service and maintenance of energy, telecommunications, transport and water networks. For its corporate goal of offering services for infrastructure, environmental and energy projects from a single source, BKW can draw on a network of more than 50 successful companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

  • Four Aargau energy suppliers are working together

    Four Aargau energy suppliers are working together

    The utility companies in southwestern Aargau are moving closer together. tba energie ag , EW Oftringen AG , EW Rothrist AG and StWZ Energie AG want to found the energy supplier Regionale Energie AG (REAG) and the water supplier Regionale Wasser AG (RWAG) together. The city of Zofingen is said to hold just over 50 percent of REAG. The shares of Oftringen, Rothrist and Zofingen in RWAG are said to be between 27 and 33 percent. Among other things, the merger is intended to increase regional added value and secure jobs.

    The four companies expect synergies of CHF 2 million per year, they write in a statement . About half of this is to be returned to customers via the tariffs. The harmonization of tariffs will take up to ten years.

    The ball is now in the hands of the boards of directors of the four companies, the five municipalities involved and ultimately the voters. The two new companies are scheduled to start operations on January 1, 2023.

  • Canton of Jura gives electricity from geothermal energy a new chance

    Canton of Jura gives electricity from geothermal energy a new chance

    Generating electricity from deep geothermal energy in Switzerland is given another chance. As announced by the Jura government, it wants to negotiate with Geo-Energie Suisse SA about a gradual resumption of the project. Additional safety requirements are to be set. In addition, an advisory committee made up of independent experts is to ensure the transparency of the project. If security is guaranteed, the government sees many advantages in the development of renewable energies, according to a statement from the canton.

    The canton approved the Geo-Energie Suisse SA project in 2015. It provides for the production of electricity from deep geothermal energy for 6,000 households. A magnitude 5.4 earthquake triggered by a similar project in Pohang, South Korea, in November 2017 also sparked fears in the Haute-Sorne region. An analysis by Geo-Energie Suisse SA came to the conclusion that a scenario like that in Pohang in the Jura was “unthinkable” due to the safety requirements. However, the project actually came to a standstill.

    Similar projects to generate electricity from deep geothermal heat had previously led to minor earthquakes in Basel and St.Gallen. The affected projects were then stopped.

  • Linking EuroAirport to the district heating network is progressing

    Linking EuroAirport to the district heating network is progressing

    The expansion of the heating network to the planned connection of the EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is progressing. The construction company SMCE forage et tunnel based in Sierentz has drilled two 90 meter long tunnels under the A35 motorway in Alsace, according to a press release from Primeo Energie from Münchenstein. The pipes that will transport the heat to the airport in the future will then be laid in the tunnels.

    The heat comes from the biomass power plant in the Alsatian town of Saint-Louis. It is operated by the energy company R-CUE , a subsidiary of the energy supplier Primeo Energie. So far, R-CUE has been supplying the equivalent of 5,000 households with heat via the existing district heating network of 12.3 kilometers and producing electricity at the same time.

    With the EuroAirport, a large heat consumer is added. The airport alone has a heating energy requirement of 3000 apartments. Its connection to the network “will reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by 90 percent” and thus decarbonize its energy mix. At the same time, the connection saves on heating costs, according to the press release.

    Other urban and commercial areas are later to be connected to the district heating network in the Saint-Louis metropolitan area, including the Saint-Louis hypercentre, the centre, south and north zones, the Lys development zone (ZAC) and the Technoport. In total, the network is to grow to a length of 30 kilometers.

    By 2030, up to 68 gigawatt hours of additional heat are to be distributed each year. This corresponds to 10,000 households and requires the construction of a new biomass heating plant, the press release continues. The expansion of the Saint-Louis heating network was decided at the end of 2020.

  • Energieverbund Thalwil goes to the starting position

    Energieverbund Thalwil goes to the starting position

    For the new energy network Thalwil, energy is extracted from the water of Lake Zurich in a lake water center, informs Energie 360 ° on the project page of the lake water energy network of the Zurich energy service provider. This energy is fed to the network’s energy center and fed from there into the district heating network. Peak loads are to be covered with a gas heating system integrated into the energy center.

    with the dr. Ernst Th. Jucker Foundation, Energie 360° has now found the location for this energy center. In a statement , the energy service provider announced that it would be moving into the second basement floor of a foundation property currently under construction on Gotthardstrasse in Thalwil. The ground floor and first floor are reserved for Bank Thalwil. Rental apartments are to be built on the remaining floors.

    “The space in the center of Thalwil is tight,” Foundation President Christine Burgener is quoted as saying in the statement. The former mayor has accompanied the planning of the new energy network from the start. “When Energie 360° and the municipality of Thalwil approached us, we offered a hand so that the energy center could be implemented in our building.” In return, Energie 360° will supply the property with energy at a fixed price. The new network is scheduled to start work at the beginning of the heating season this fall.

  • Switzerland launches building education offensive

    Switzerland launches building education offensive

    The shortage of skilled workers in the construction and real estate industry is to be remedied. To this end, the Swiss “Building Education Offensive” has now been launched. The starting event will take place on January 20 at 4 p.m. and will be streamed live. According to a press release from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy , a “roadmap with 32 measures and four fields of action” will be presented.

    Ultimately, the building sector in Switzerland should make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. To do this, “hundreds of thousands of fossil-based heating systems would have to be replaced by renewable ones, a large number of buildings would have to be renovated in terms of energy, intelligent control systems would have to be installed and the power supply of the buildings would have to be completely converted to renewable energies”. However, there is already a shortage of skilled workers. At the same time, the number of those who decide to do an apprenticeship in this industry is declining.

    The education offensive was developed by all relevant representatives of the building and education sector. They were supported by EnergieSchweiz , the Swiss Federal Office of Energy’s program for renewable energy and energy efficiency. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation , the Federal Office for the Environment and the State Secretariat for Migration were also involved.

  • The Federal Office of Energy is funding significantly more projects

    The Federal Office of Energy is funding significantly more projects

    In 2021, the Federal Office of Energy funded a total of 79 new projects and 13 new programs as part of competitive tenders to save electricity in the industrial and service sectors and in households. The number of subsidized projects was thus significantly higher than in 2020, according to a press release . In 2020, the number of funded projects was 39 and the number of funded programs was 15.

    According to the Federal Office of Energy, this increase in projects is “at least partly due to the softened selection process in 2021”. It was introduced as an "immediate measure for projects due to the Covid 19 pandemic". In 2021, the beneficiaries received a total of 40 million francs.

    The subsidies were used, among other things, to optimize shaft heating for snowmaking systems in terms of energy, to replace a production system for drawers at a furniture manufacturer and to replace vacuum pumps in a paper production machine.

    Taken together, the funded projects and programs save 90 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. "That corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of 16,000 households," says the press release.

    The competitive tenders for 2022 have meanwhile already begun. Interested parties can submit programs until May 2nd. Applications for projects can be submitted at any time throughout the year. The entry is made online. The participants will receive confirmations and rejection of funding after four weeks at the latest.

  • Zurich is investing CHF 573 million in district heating

    Zurich is investing CHF 573 million in district heating

    In a press release , the City of Zurich announced the approval of the “Thermal grids of the power plant” credit line in the amount of CHF 573 million. The amount is to flow into the switch from fossil to renewable heating and cooling in the city and financially secure the conversion of the heating supply required to achieve the climate target. Those entitled to vote should decide on the approval in 2022.

    The city set the course for the climate policy expansion plans “ Net Zero 2040 ” of the electricity company of the city of Zurich ( ewz ) in spring 2021 with the opening of the Zurich Heat Advice Center. The legal foundation was laid in November 2021 with the Heat Supply Ordinance.

    City Councilor Michael Baumer is quoted as saying that the municipal measure, which is divided into six sub-projects, makes an “important contribution to decarbonisation in the heating sector”. The financial buffer is “only a first step, the actual work is just beginning,” announces Baumer.

  • Innovation from Studer Innotec enables solar self-sufficiency

    Innovation from Studer Innotec enables solar self-sufficiency

    According to Studer Innotec , the next 3 is the world’s first intelligent inverter charger for private or company-owned photovoltaic systems. It represents “the future of self-consumption” and enables “full energy self-sufficiency” for everyone. With their own charging stations for battery-powered cars, electromobility will become cheaper solar mobility, according to Studer’s website. In addition, neighborhood microgrids, so-called mini-grids, would also be possible in remote rural areas. “With the next3, we are ready to play a very active role in the energy transition,” says Studer Innotec on its website.

    The next3 allows complete control over the production, storage and distribution of its electrical energy. In addition, it can operate with the public power grid, according to a media release. It is therefore suitable for grid-independent (off-grid), grid-dependent (on-grid) and hybrid systems. Installation and wiring is easy. The company also explains further technical specifications in a video .

    “This new approach completely breaks through the previously known technical and economic limits,” says Studer Innotec. “It’s disruptive.” By turning your own living space or business building into a self-sufficient system, you contribute to a stable power supply, protect yourself against price fluctuations and ensure that your electric vehicle or company car fleet is charged every day.

  • Holcim concrete is supposed to charge electric vehicles

    Holcim concrete is supposed to charge electric vehicles

    Holcim has entered into a strategic partnership with the start-up Magment . The young company based in Oberhaching near Munich is working on a wireless inductive charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. According to Magment's understanding, they should be charged where they go instead of having to go where they are charged. This reduces the need for charging stations and at the same time saves time, according to a message from the Zug-based building materials manufacturer.

    Together, the development departments of both companies have created a "unique concrete with high magnetic permeability" for road surfaces. The technology is currently being tested at Purdue University in the US state of Indiana. Applications for industrial floors to charge robots and forklifts while driving are also in preparation.

    Magment CEO and co-founder Mauricio Esguerra believes that both companies will be an “important companion for the sustainable electric transport of the future” “by developing superior qualities” of magnetizable concrete technology. Holcim is also pleased to “develop concrete solutions with Magment to advance electromobility,” said Edelio Bermejo, Head of Holcim's Global Innovation Center. The Zug-based company is shifting "the limits of innovation by working with start-ups all over the world in order to take on a pioneering role in terms of sustainability".

  • Basel area relies on solar power from the roof

    Basel area relies on solar power from the roof

    The canton of Basel-Landschaft is going on the solar power offensive. The canton's own buildings will be equipped with photovoltaic systems, the canton administration informs in a message . So far, 2177 modules with an area of almost 3900 square meters have been installed on the roofs of the secondary schools in Hinterzweien in Muttenz, Gerenmatt in Arlesheim, Laufental in Laufen, Lärchen in Münchenstein and Rheinpark in Birsfelden as well as the Werkhof Kreis 3 in Sissach and the new technical college in Muttenz been. They can generate around 800,000 kilowatt hours of solar power a year. This means that the electricity requirements of the respective location can be completely covered, writes the cantonal administration.

    According to the announcement, further plants are already being planned. "The canton's largest photovoltaic system in the future" is to be tackled shortly. It is being built on the new building of the Augusta Raurica Collection Center in Augst. More than 400 modules are planned here, which could deliver around 450,000 kilowatt hours of solar power a year. The plans also include systems on the roofs of the Tannenbrunn secondary schools in Sissach and Frenke in Liestal and the Arxhof action center in Niederdorf.

    The building authority is following the instructions of the district administrator with the solar offensive, it says in the message. According to them, the canton should "on the one hand be a role model for other investors and on the other hand cover the growing demand in schools and other buildings with as much self-produced solar power as possible". The district administrator provides the funds for the investments via building loans and as part of the investment program.

  • Baden promotes charging stations for electromobility

    Baden promotes charging stations for electromobility

    The city of Baden financially supports the construction of new charging stations as part of its energy promotion program. According to a press release , half of all new registrations are already electric or hybrid vehicles. The city of Baden wants to make the switch easier. That is why new charging stations for electric vehicles will be funded with 25 percent of the investment costs from now on.

    According to the city, the offer applies to existing apartment buildings and condominiums with three or more residential units. Shared garages of individual units are also taken into account. The expansion of the electrical infrastructure will also be promoted, according to the press release. Not only could the applicant install a charging station in the underground car park, but others could also be added. That can be done at the same time or later. The aim of this funding is that tenants can also become electromobile.

    The funding program is broken down on the city's special website for electromobility. For electric charging stations, there is a subsidy of 25 percent of the investment costs, but no more than 1,000 francs per charging point. To develop the charging infrastructure, there are also 25 percent of the investment costs in communal underground car parks, but no more than CHF 500 per parking space. The development costs include the creation of power and communication lines to the parking lots.

    The application for funding can be downloaded by clicking on this page and on the city's environmental blog.

  • Shared micromobility harms the climate

    Shared micromobility harms the climate

    Shared micromobility is more harmful to the climate than expected. This is shown by a study by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ). This becomes clear if the evaluation of the climate impact of micromobility also includes how electric scooters and bicycles are actually used: “At first glance, e-scooters and e-bikes are climate-friendly because they do not have internal combustion engines,” says Daniel Jan Reck from the Institute for Transport Planning and Systems at ETH Zurich in a report by ETH. “Ultimately, however, what is decisive for their carbon footprint is which modes of transport they typically replace.”

    The transport researchers working with Reck were able to show in their study that shared e-scooters and e-bikes in the city of Zurich mainly replace sustainable modes of transport: walking, using local public transport and cycling. They do more harm than good to the climate. “I think the sharing principle makes sense,” said Reck. “With micromobility and its climate impacts, however, the situation actually seems to be the other way around.”

    The picture is different for privately used e-scooters and e-bikes. These replace more frequent journeys with one’s own car. This is why private micromobility reduces CO2 emissions “and benefits the climate on balance”. That is why it makes sense for authorities to promote commuting by means of private micromobility.

    For his research, Reck received the Young Researcher of the Year Award from the International Transport Forum of the OECD in summer 2021. The think tank of the industrialized countries, based in Paris, awards the prize to young researchers whose work is important in matters of transport policy.

  • Canton of Lucerne increases funding for energy

    Canton of Lucerne increases funding for energy

    The canton of Lucerne is increasing its contribution to the Energy 2022 funding program by CHF 3.5 million compared to the previous year to CHF 5.5 million. Together with the basic amount and the federal supplement, a total of around 23 million francs is available. Private individuals can submit their applications for grants to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy in their own four walls from January 10th.

    As stated in a communication from the canton, the funding program has been checked and optimized after five years of experience. The inclusion of important interest groups was helpful. “Cooperation with the trade, with the various associations and with the university is important so that we can continue the success story of the energy funding program,” said Fabian Peter, the government councilor responsible for construction, the environment and energy.

    The most important changes for the year 2022 include new funding measures such as connection to a heating network with renewable energies, non-automatic wood firing and charging infrastructure for e-mobility in existing apartment buildings. There were also adjustments to the funding rates. Renewals of building insulation are now subsidized with 60 instead of 40 francs per square meter. The subsidy rates for solar thermal systems will be doubled. In addition, there are now flat-rate subsidy rates for building services up to 15 kilowatts, for example for a heat pump, a wood-burning stove or a district heating connection.

  • Room dividers made of UV-C light remove SARS-CoV-2 viruses from aerosols

    Room dividers made of UV-C light remove SARS-CoV-2 viruses from aerosols

    A research team from the Tropical Institute at the LMU Klinikum Munich and the Technical University of Munich, in cooperation with the start-up Smart United GmbH, has developed an invisible "protective wall" made of UV-C light.

    In their study, published as a preprint on medRxiv, they were able to show that the UV light barrier they developed prevents the spread of pathogens via the air in indoor areas by killing the pathogens traveling along on the aerosol particles.

    The protection rate was checked using model organisms. These included E. coli, S. aureus and a coronavirus. At air speeds of 10 cm / s, inactivation rates of over 99 percent are achieved.

    Double protection system eliminates over 99 percent of pathogens

    “Our system can be hung from the ceiling like a lamp to separate rooms. The UV-C light is bundled and radiated downwards. As with a protective curtain, pathogens are inactivated as soon as they “float through” on aerosol particles, explains PD Dr. med. Andreas Wieser, specialist in microbiology, virology and infection epidemiology at the Tropical Institute of the LMU Klinikum.

    Professor Christoph Haisch from the Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Water Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich adds: “In addition, the system disinfects the breathing air in the room with its patented protective mechanism by sucking it in and slowly blowing it into the light area of the UV-C light wall. In addition to the direct barrier effect of the light wall, this prevents an accumulation of infectious aerosols in the room. "

    Safe virus spread protection for small and large areas

    A health hazard from the system's UV-C light is avoided by using special shut-off devices. As soon as an object or part of the body comes into the radiation area, the area is automatically switched off. This also happens when you want to go through; so you can move completely freely in the room.

    Thanks to innovative special optics, the applicable requirements of occupational safety and the strict exposure limit values for UV radiation as well as other legal requirements can be complied with. In addition, ozone generation is avoided by the innovative LED light source and the special optics.

    The UV-C virus protection wall can be used as an invisible room divider and subdivide larger rooms into smaller “virtual” rooms, which are so isolated from the air. It can thus become an important part of an aerosol hygiene concept for rooms and buildings.

    "We are currently doing everything we can to make our virus protection walls available to the market as quickly as possible," says Reiner Prohaska, managing director of cooperation partner Smart United. “In parallel to the scientific validation of the system, we have already started to prepare production with well-known suppliers from the automotive industry. From the beginning of January we will start planning the rooms with our first customers. From the beginning of April we will be delivering the first UV-C light virus protection walls – with the aim of giving people back a piece of normalcy. "

  • Aesch gets a sustainable heating network

    Aesch gets a sustainable heating network

    Primeo Energie and the municipality of Aesch are planning to set up “a large and sustainable district heating network”, the energy service provider from Basel informs in a message. It is supposed to supply large parts of the municipality with "renewable wood district heating". The investment required for this is estimated in the communication at CHF 20 million.

    In a first step, the partners want to develop the north of Aesch. After that, the network will gradually cover the remaining areas, according to the announcement. The existing heating networks of Primeo Energie and the community and residents' community in Aesch are to be renewed and merged in the new network.

    The plans also provide for the establishment of a new heating center. It will be built in the Weidenring and, in addition to two boilers, will also have a heat pump, explains Primeo Energie. Wood chips from the Aescher forest and the Angenstein district are mainly used as fuel. The peak load is absorbed by an oil boiler.

    In total, the planned heat generation amounts to around 16 gigawatt hours, writes Primeo Energie. According to the company, the share of renewable energy in heat production will be over 80 percent. In this way, more than 3000 tons of CO2 emissions could be avoided each year.

    The planning application for the association should be submitted by the end of this year. The first heat supplies could be realized at the beginning of the heating period 23/24, writes Primeo Energie. Interested property owners can already set up a connection.

  • Basler Stadtwerke get involved in Energie Ausserschwyz

    Basler Stadtwerke get involved in Energie Ausserschwyz

    Energie Ausserschwyz AG wants to supply renewable heat and electricity for 7,000 households in the villages of Siebnen, Galgenen, Lachen, Altendorf, Pfäffikon and Freienbach in the Schwyz districts of March and Höfe by 2030. To this end, it is currently building a wood-fired thermal power station at its existing Bodenwies energy center in Galgenen. It should be heated with old, residual and forest wood from the region.

    Now, as part of a capital increase, IWB are also joining the shareholders of Energie Ausserschwyz AG. According to a press release , Basler Stadtwerke now holds 20 percent of the capital. The regional energy supplier EW Höfe will remain the main shareholder. Brugg Group AG and Züger Unternehmerungen AG are also involved in the district heating operator.

    IWB sees their participation as a continuation of their previous strategy. "Energie Ausserschwyz focuses on a heat supply from regional, renewable sources", its CEO Claus Schmidt is quoted in the announcement. “IWB can bring its experience from climate-friendly district heating supply to Energie Ausserschwyz and benefits from its strong presence in the Upper Lake Zurich region. IWB had already joined Agro Energie Schwyz AG at the beginning of 2021 , which operates a district heating network in the Schwyz basin.

  • Swarm is supposed to give wings to solar folding roofs

    Swarm is supposed to give wings to solar folding roofs

    Dhp technology , based in Zizers, wants to raise fresh funds from investors for further growth. To this end, the manufacturer of the folding solar roof called Horizon is now starting a swarm financing campaign, according to a media release . The goal is between 1 million and 3 million francs. The minimum investment is estimated at 120 francs. The campaign is expected to last until the end of January 2022. It will be carried out on the platform of the Zug-based provider Conda.ch .

    With the solar folding roof from dhp, solar modules are retracted and extended on a cable construction. The control takes place automatically and is based on the weather data. For example, the system can protect itself from a storm.

    According to dhp, the roof is particularly suitable for sewage treatment plants. There are 800 of these in Switzerland and around 80,000 in Europe. In addition, Horizon can be used in park, commercial and logistics areas. The company estimates the economic potential in Europe at around 60 billion euros.

    The solar folding roofs have been manufactured in a factory in Zizers since 2019. Twelve dhp systems are currently in operation. The next ones are already waiting for delivery.

    On the one hand, the solar folding roof is to be further developed with the fresh money. On the other hand, sales abroad are to be promoted.

  • BKW's market-oriented remuneration for solar power pays off for return deliverers

    BKW's market-oriented remuneration for solar power pays off for return deliverers

    An increasing number of BKW customers with basic supplies are operating their own electricity production plant and feeding excess energy into the BKW network. For every kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy fed into the grid, they receive a remuneration that is at least equal to the current market value of electricity. It is determined retrospectively on a quarterly basis.

    This market value has risen sharply in the past few weeks and months. This is why BKW’s return deliverers receive a correspondingly higher remuneration for the electricity fed into the grid. Between
    In the fourth quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2021, the remuneration increased from under 5 to over 10 cents per kilowatt hour (without guarantees of origin, which BKW also pays for if feed-in
    Customers wish). There is no guarantee that electricity prices will remain at the current level over the long term. However, current market expectations indicate that the return delivery remuneration will be higher than the low prices of recent years for the foreseeable future.

    Prompt passing on of higher prices
     The return deliveries benefit twice from this market-oriented remuneration system: BKW not only increases the remuneration when the market price rises, but also passes this development on promptly,
    by adjusting their return delivery fees quarterly. In this way, the remuneration paid reflects the market value of the electricity and, in particular, creates incentives for increased winter production. From BKW’s point of view
    In this respect, the market-based remuneration proves to be more efficient than the frequently raised demand for a fixed return delivery remuneration.

  • Hydrogen production plant in St. Gallen's Kubel

    Hydrogen production plant in St. Gallen's Kubel

    The hydrogen production plant is of great importance for the canton. Marc Mächler says: “In the future, hydrogen can play an important role in the decarbonisation of mobility. Far-sighted pioneering projects are therefore required to make this energy source attractive. For this reason, it is gratifying that domestic and clean hydrogen can be produced in St. Gallen with this production facility. " The promotion of renewable energies is a major concern of the government, which is why the topic is anchored in its priority planning for the years 2021 to 2031.

    Hydrogen produced with hydropower
    The goal is to produce hydrogen itself as a competitive and CO2-neutral alternative for heavy transport. Stefano Garbin explains: “For H2 production, we get the electricity from the adjacent hydropower plant. This enables us to produce the hydrogen in a CO2-neutral manner. The fuel offers potential in the area of mobility and the implementation of climate targets.

    H2 for several million truck kilometers per year
    The construction phase for the hydrogen production plant takes about eight months. “Our goal is to start H2 production in June 2022 and to produce between 220 and 250 tons of H2 per year. With this production rate, we can deliver up to four containers of hydrogen to the filling station. A truck with a fuel cell consumes around eight kilograms of hydrogen per kilometer. Our annual production volume is sufficient for approx. 3.75 million truck kilometers. In the case of a car, this would be sufficient for up to 25 million kilometers, ”explains Reto Zuglian.

  • Aesch gets a sustainable heating network

    Aesch gets a sustainable heating network

    Primeo Energie and the municipality of Aesch are planning to set up “a large and sustainable district heating network”, the Basel-based energy service provider informs in a message. It is supposed to supply large parts of the municipality with “renewable wood district heating”. The investment required for this is estimated in the communication at CHF 20 million.

    In a first step, the partners want to develop the north of Aesch. After that, the network will gradually cover the remaining areas, according to the announcement. The existing heating networks of Primeo Energie and the community and residents’ community in Aesch are to be renewed and merged in the new network.

    The plans also provide for the establishment of a new heating center. It will be built in the Weidenring and, in addition to two boilers, will also have a heat pump, explains Primeo Energie. Wood chips from the Aesch forest and the Angenstein district are primarily used as fuel. The peak load is absorbed by an oil boiler.

    In total, the planned heat generation amounts to around 16 gigawatt hours, writes Primeo Energie. According to the company, the share of renewable energy in heat production will be over 80 percent. In this way, more than 3000 tons of CO2 emissions could be avoided each year.

    The planning application for the association should be submitted by the end of this year. The first heat supplies could be realized at the beginning of the heating period 23/24, writes Primeo Energie. Interested property owners can already set up a connection.

  • Basler Stadtwerke get involved in Energie Ausserschwyz

    Basler Stadtwerke get involved in Energie Ausserschwyz

    Energie Ausserschwyz AG wants to supply renewable heat and electricity for 7,000 households in the villages of Siebnen, Galgenen, Lachen, Altendorf, Pfäffikon and Freienbach in the Schwyz districts of March and Höfe by 2030. To this end, it is currently building a wood-fired thermal power station at its existing Bodenwies energy center in Galgenen. It should be heated with old, residual and forest wood from the region.

    Now, as part of a capital increase, IWB are also joining the shareholders of Energie Ausserschwyz AG. According to a press release , Basler Stadtwerke now holds 20 percent of the capital. The regional energy supplier EW Höfe will remain the main shareholder. Brugg Group AG and Züger Unternehmerungen AG are also involved in the district heating operator.

    IWB sees their participation as a continuation of their previous strategy. “Energie Ausserschwyz focuses on a heat supply from regional, renewable sources”, its CEO Claus Schmidt is quoted in the announcement. “IWB can bring its experience from climate-friendly district heating supply to Energie Ausserschwyz and benefits from its strong presence in the Upper Lake Zurich region. IWB had already joined Agro Energie Schwyz AG at the beginning of 2021 , which operates a district heating network in the Schwyz basin.

  • Empa is researching underground storage

    Empa is researching underground storage

    Empa is setting up an experimental, seasonal energy storage facility under its new research campus in Dübendorf, the research institute informs in a message . The waste heat from ventilation and laboratory equipment is to be stored in the ground below the area. The aim is to supply the entire Empa area with energy, writes Empa.

    A geothermal probe field with a temperature gradient serves as a heat store, in which 144 geothermal probes anchored up to 100 meters deep in the ground are installed. With their help, the Empa researchers want to set an optimal mix between temperature, efficiency and energy storage. The temperatures in the underground storage can fluctuate by up to 50 degrees in the center and 10 degrees in the peripheral areas. At a depth of 100 meters, the storage system works particularly effectively and loses very little heat to the environment, explains Empa.

    The research institute can use the heat storage system for ten years, primarily for its own research purposes. On the one hand, an underground storage facility is very effective, but due to its large mass it is also sluggish, according to the press release. The researchers assume that it will take about three to four years to set the final operating temperature.

  • Winterthur wants to become climate neutral by 2040

    Winterthur wants to become climate neutral by 2040

    The voters in Winterthur are in favor of a climate-neutral city by 2040. On November 28, two variants of a net zero for CO2 emissions were up for voting. One envisaged achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the second by 2040. In the key question, the variant prevailed by 2040, explains the city administration of Winterthur in a message .

    Net zero emissions mean that no more greenhouse gases are emitted than can be absorbed by natural and technical reservoirs at the same time. With climate neutrality by 2040, the city of Winterthur has set itself a more ambitious goal than the canton of Zurich and the federal government. Both aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

    In the referendum in Winterthur, 61.31 percent approved the option by 2040. The climate target of a net zero by 2050 was approved by 63.59 percent of the voters. In the key question, the goal of climate neutrality by 2040 prevailed with 60.41 percent of the votes.

  • The Metropolitans: Over 180 parking spaces, electric car ready

    The Metropolitans: Over 180 parking spaces, electric car ready

    The two towers rise around 60 meters into the sky and thus shape the character of the Leutschenbach district in the north of the city of Zurich. However, “The Metropolitans” is not only visually impressive, it is also a showcase project when it comes to electromobility. The underground car park was equipped in such a way that a sustainable infrastructure for e-vehicles is available for the residents of the 212 apartments.

    Clear decision
    When the residential towers were completed in 2015/16, there was only one charging station in the underground car park. Little by little, other residents had their parking lot equipped. “There was a certain amount of wild growth,” explains Christian Steiger, who, as the delegate of the condominium owners, accompanied the expansion from the start. “When other owners expressed their interest in a charging station, we set up a project team to find a uniform solution”. The team obtained offers and recommended the charging solution from ewz after a thorough examination. “Working with ewz in the evaluation phase was very pleasant and productive,” explains Steiger. “We were also impressed by the price-performance ratio, the know-how and the complete solution.” The joint owners’ meeting followed the recommendation and decided, by far more, in favor of the ewz solution.

    Novel ceiling pillars
     After the award, ewz submitted a funding application to the City of Zurich, which covered up to 60 percent of the costs for the charging infrastructure as part of the 2000 watt contribution. The application was approved – implementation could begin in spring 2021. In a first phase, all 187 parking spaces in the underground car park were connected with a ribbon cable. This means that when you register, you only need to install and connect the charging station. Several dozen residents did this directly: in the summer of 2021, over 80 parking spaces were already equipped with a “easee” charging station.

    Depending on the location of a parking lot, the charging station is either mounted on the wall (wallbox) or suspended from the ceiling. Such ceiling pillars, each with up to four charging stations, are ideal for parking spaces in the middle of underground garages and impress with their high-quality design. According to Christian Steiger, the feedback on the new charging infrastructure is very positive. “The charging stations look good and work perfectly,” he sums up.

    Load management saves costs
     The charging infrastructure of “The Metropolitans” includes dynamic load management. It ensures that all connected e-cars receive sufficient electricity and are charged the next morning. At the same time, the system ensures that the need for charging is coordinated with the needs of the households. This automatic load balancing of the “easee” charging stations has the advantage that up to three times as many electric vehicles can be charged at the same time – 24 hours a day and thanks to a standard tariff at no additional cost. This prevents overloads or even power failures and ensures a reliable, stable power supply. In addition, thanks to the load management, an expensive expansion of the connected load of the two residential towers could be avoided.

    Simple billing
     While the basic expansion of the charging infrastructure was paid for jointly by all floor owners using a distribution key, the individual owner pays for the charging station himself. After that, only low costs are incurred in operation. The users receive a chip card (RFID card) so that they can identify themselves at their charging station and enable charging. The ewz package also includes an app that shows the electricity used and the costs at all times. You will be billed monthly via a credit card that is stored in the app. Users only pay ewz CHF 9.90 per month for these services.

    Advantages of the ewz charging solution
     Through the partnership, the residents benefit from a future-proof complete solution. The project team and the administration really appreciate having a single point of contact with ewz as the general contractor for the planning, implementation and operation of the charging infrastructure. This guarantees an efficient, practice-oriented solution with simple scalability. Ewz’s 24-7 customer service and its reputation as a city partner strengthen the customer’s feeling of security. You can also rest assured that your electric vehicles will only be charged with green electricity.

    Flexible, simple and sustainable: this is how the charging solution from ewz works. And you can find out more about Switzerland-wide energy solutions from ewz here.

  • Allreal creates value through long-term business activities geared towards sustainability

    Allreal creates value through long-term business activities geared towards sustainability

    Allreal has developed a sustainability strategy (ESG) that sets ambitious and specific goals and can be measured against these annually in the future. Allreal creates value through full CO2 neutrality (Environment) By 2050 at the latest, Allreal aims to achieve full CO2 neutrality for its investment property portfolio. By the end of 2022, the company will therefore ensure full consumption recording of the investment properties and develop individual property strategies. In addition, the company will start a broad-based expansion of photovoltaic systems and building management systems. In order to achieve the reduction path, partial compensation of the CO2 emissions will be made from 2022. The active control of user behavior should make a further contribution to lowering emissions. In addition to “green lease” contracts, there is also the promotion of electromobility and the creation of financial incentives to encourage sustainable user behavior among tenants. By the first half of 2024, at least 20% of the garage parking spaces will be equipped with an electric charging station (800 charging stations).


    With a view to the activities of general contracting, Allreal relies on the consistent use of reusable materials. In the case of in-house projects, the entire life cycle of a material is taken into account as quickly as possible. Allreal creates values by assuming responsibility (social) In the area of society, Allreal advocates comprehensive occupational health and safety as well as real equal opportunities. The company already offers an attractive working environment which, thanks to the flexibilisation of working hours (part-time work / partial retirement), enables work and family to be reconciled. Further related measures are being expanded on an ongoing basis.

  • Schwarm finances IWB's second solar system

    Schwarm finances IWB's second solar system

    Tenants without their own roof helped finance IWB ‘s second solar system. You have acquired an individual share in the planned solar system on the Spittelmatthof near Riehen BS through the participation model Sonnenbox Crowd. In return, they will receive an electricity credit of 100 kilowatt hours per invested square meter over a period of 20 years.

    This second system is 350 square meters and will have an output of 72 kilowatts. That corresponds roughly to the electricity needs of 25 to 30 households. As stated in a press release , it only took a few weeks to fully finance them.

    The preparations for its construction were already under way. It should be completed by the middle of next year. The installation of the first swarm-financed system is also imminent. It is being erected on a roof by IWB in Basel’s Gundeli district. “The great demand spurs us on to offer the people of Basel more solar systems soon,” Martin Albrecht, product manager of the Sonnenbox Crowd, is quoted as saying. “We are looking for other suitable roofs for this.”

  • Subsidies result in record expansion at solar

    Subsidies result in record expansion at solar

    According to a media release by the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the federal funds for photovoltaic systems are having an effect: The record construction of photovoltaic systems from 2020 will probably be exceeded this year.

    According to the information, more than 18,000 photovoltaic systems with a total output of 360 megawatts were registered for one-off remuneration from January to the end of October 2021. That is around 25 percent more than in the same period last year. In the third quarter, their number even increased by 40 percent.

    All system operators who have submitted their complete application to Pronovo AG on time could expect a payment. A total of CHF 150 million would be paid out as a one-off payment for 26,000 small photovoltaic systems. 500 applications have been received for large photovoltaic systems. As confirmed by the SFOE, the planned funding amounts could be paid out to all applicants who correctly submit their application by the respective deadline in the coming year.

    No further systems were added to the feed-in tariff system in 2021. After completion, 19 photovoltaic, 79 hydropower, 422 wind energy and 42 biomass projects would have received funding approval.

    The investment contributions made available for small and large hydropower plants were only partially called up in 2021. New requests could be processed immediately without a waiting list.

    No applications have been received for an investment contribution in favor of electricity-producing sewage gas and waste incineration plants, wood power plants or geothermal projects. New ones could be processed immediately.

  • AMAG Winterthur puts new solar system into operation

    AMAG Winterthur puts new solar system into operation

    The AMAG Group has put a new photovoltaic system into operation at its Winterthur location, informs the automotive trading group for all brands of the Volkswagen Group in a message . The system built by Helion with an output of around 157 kilowatts peak was installed on the roof of the AMAG building for Volkswagen and VW commercial vehicles. The group intends to use around 60 to 65 percent of the approximately 158 megawatt hours of solar power expected annually.

    “With the solar energy obtained from the photovoltaic system, we can cover around 60 percent of our electricity requirements at the Zürcherstrasse 312 location in Winterthur,” Martin Zgraggen, Managing Director of AMAG Winterthur, is quoted in the press release. “The increasing number of electric vehicles means that more electricity is required, which the new solar system supplies us.”

    The AMAG buildings for the Audi and Skoda brands in Winterthur were equipped with a solar system back in 2013, the press release explains. The group had the first photovoltaic system installed on the roof of its central spare parts warehouse in Buchs ZH in 2008. In the current year, in addition to the new system in Winterthur, two further solar systems were installed in Wettswil am Albis ZH and in Basel.

    The automobile trading group with its headquarters in Cham ZG wants to be completely climate-neutral by 2025. To this end, solar systems are to be installed on an area of around 50,000 square meters by 2024. The group is looking into a deployment for a further 100,000 square meters of space at AMAG locations.

  • Deutsche Ökobank relies on Meyer Burger

    Deutsche Ökobank relies on Meyer Burger

    The GLS Bank from Germany relies on Meyer Burger for its offer of a package for the expansion of solar systems. The cooperative bank, which operates according to socio-ecological principles, wants to promote the expansion of photovoltaic systems in the commercial and public sectors. To this end, the bank has launched a so-called carefree photovoltaic package for corporate customers. In addition to financing, it includes a number of other services.

    As part of the package, the GLS Bank decided in favor of Meyer Burger as a cooperation partner for photovoltaic modules, the solar company from Thun informs in a message . “We have high demands on our products and our production in terms of environmental and resource conservation as well as social factors”, Katja Tavernaro is quoted there. “Our high-performance solar modules are a good example of a successful relationship between sustainability and economy,” says the Chief Sustainability Officer at Meyer Burger Technology AG. Concretely, Tavernaro leads a reduced use of material and energy, the renunciation of toxic ingredients, the production exclusively with electricity from renewable energies and the observance of social standards in the supply chains.

    This is in line with the goals of the GLS Bank: “We don’t just want to get photovoltaics on the roof, we also ask questions about the quality and sustainability of the modules,” explains bank representative Michael Orth.