immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Energy

  • Sonnenenergie ist um fast 50 Prozent gewachsen

    Sonnenenergie ist um fast 50 Prozent gewachsen

    Die Statistik Sonnenenergie 2020 des Schweizerischen Fachverbands für Sonnenenergie, Swissolar, belegt, dass der Photovoltaikzubau in der Schweiz gegenüber dem Vorjahr um 48 Prozent gestiegen ist. Damit ist ein Rekordwert von 493 Megawatt erreicht. Die Leistung von nahezu 3 Gigawatt deckte 4,7 Prozent des Strombedarfs im Land.

    Laut einer Medienmitteilung von Swissolar sind die Zuwächse bei Anlagen auf Industrie-, Gewerbe- und Dienstleistungsbauten sowie bei Photovoltaik (PV)-Anlagen über 100 Kilowatt besonders hoch. Die durchschnittliche Anlage war 24,5 Kilowatt gross. Im Vorjahr waren es noch 22,5 Kilowatt. Rund 15 Prozent der PV-Anlagen auf Einfamilienhäusern werden mit einem Batteriespeicher kombiniert. Deren Verkaufszahl wuchs gegenüber dem Vorjahr um 65 Prozent.

    Weltweit wurden im vergangenen Jahr 18 Prozent mehr Gigawatt PV-Leistung installiert als im Vorjahr. Die jährliche Stromproduktion entspricht etwa der von 115 Atomkraftwerken (AKW) von der Grösse Gösgens. Sie deckte 3,7 Prozent des weltweiten Strombedarfs. Gemäss Swissolar-Statistik ist alle 20 Tage die Produktionskapazität eines AKW hinzugekommen.

    Der Verkauf von Kollektoranlagen zur Nutzung der Solarwärme ist um rund 18 Prozent gesunken. Gründe seien unter anderem in der Dominanz von Wärmepumpen im Neubau und bei Heizungssanierungen zu suchen.

    Für die Dekarbonisierung des Energiesystems und für den Ersatz von Atomkraft bedarf es laut Swissolar eines massiven Ausbaus der Solarenergie auf rund 50 Gigawatt, mit einer jährlichen Stromproduktion von 45 Terawattstunden. Dazu müsste die Schweiz jährlich etwa 1500 Megawatt zubauen. Das entspreche dem Dreifachen des jetzigen jährlichen Zubaus.

    Doch gemäss der bundesrätlichen Botschaft vom 18. Juni zum Bundesgesetz über eine sichere Stromversorgung mit erneuerbaren Energien solle dieser Zubau von 2023 bis 2035 lediglich bei 700 Megawatt pro Jahr liegen. Ausserdem enthalte die Gesetzesvorlage Elemente, die den weiteren Ausbau der Solarenergie gefährden.

    „Das Parlament muss hier rasch korrigieren“, fordert Swissolar. Als Wegweiser könne der Beschluss des österreichischen Parlaments dienen, bis 2030 eine hundertprozentig erneuerbare Stromversorgung zu erreichen. Ausserdem sei „auf unverantwortliche und den Volkswillen missachtende Bestrebungen zur Verlängerung der AKW-Laufzeiten zu verzichten“. Nach dem knappen Nein zum CO2-Gesetz sei es nun an den Kantonen, den Ausstieg aus Öl und Gas in Gebäuden zu betreiben.

  • Less cheap electricity consumption!

    Less cheap electricity consumption!

    The Riverside Zuchwil represents the sustainability strategy of the Swiss Prime Investment Foundation and the energy-efficient, future-oriented energy policy of the energy city of Zuchwil, which has been awarded gold status: "We have a district heating pipe at this location to which all existing buildings are attached," explains Markus Hauri from mha GmbH the energy concept. “In 2014 it turned out that this area could easily be developed into a 2000-watt district. Because in addition to district heating, we have river and groundwater here. In addition, in 2015 we put one of the largest photovoltaic systems (PV systems) into operation on an industrial hall. It has an area of around 37,000 square meters and marks the sustainable development of the area. " Newly built and renovated buildings all have a PV system, which in some cases is even built into the facade. There are also groundwater heat pumps, which also increase comfort during the summer months. For example, the groundwater can be used for free cooling by means of pumping operations in order to lower the internal temperature by two to three degrees.

    Clean electricity for the price of dirty electricity
    For several years, the development team under the leadership of Swiss Prime Site Solutions AG has been looking for an energy concept with the highest possible self-consumption value. The cleanly generated electricity should be made available to the residents and users of the quarter directly. This is possible with the help of its own medium-voltage network, called RiverGrid, which the Sulzer company previously operated on the site. "Thanks to this internal power grid, we can primarily distribute the clean PV electricity to our tenants and thus perhaps one day supply the entire area with energy", says Hauri, formulating the energy strategy of the Swiss Prime Investment Foundation. In order to be able to guarantee this throughout the year, it must be possible to store the excess PV energy not only for a short time, but also for a long time. In addition to license / ion and salt water batteries, alternative solutions based on hydrogen or with compressed air are also being tested. “Our goal is to be able to supply the tenants on the riverside with 'clean electricity' at a cheap price from 'dirty electricity' at all times,” concludes Hauri, following the slogan “Less” formulated by Solothurn rocker Chris von Rohr and Greenpeace Dräck ».

  • Riedtli starts pilot for environmentally friendly mobility

    Riedtli starts pilot for environmentally friendly mobility

    The Riedtli housing estate will receive 14 charging stations for electric cars from mid-July. In the course of re-letting the residential parking spaces, the City of Zurich is also setting up four parking spaces for car sharing offers and additional areas for electric cargo bikes. The pilot project is intended to promote environmentally friendly mobility in residential areas and later be transferred to other areas, according to a media release .

    For the residents of the Riedtli settlement on the border between Zurich-Unterstrass and -Oberstrass, four of the 20 parking spaces will be eliminated. The 16 remaining still meet the demand, according to the media release. In future, three e-vehicles from the car sharing provider Mobility and a gasoline-powered rental car from enterprise will be parked in the four newly leased spaces. There are also three new electric cargo bikes from carvelo2go. A total of 14 of the 23 parking spaces will be converted into charging stations for e-cars.

    The pilot project is a step towards a 2000 watt society, which has been anchored in Zurich's municipal code since 2008. Its aim is to make the city climate neutral by 2040. “In order to achieve our climate goals, traffic has to be reduced, relocated and electrified in a targeted manner. The switch to electromobility is also to be promoted with the expansion of charging stations. By sharing cars and only using them when they are really needed, people contribute to environmentally friendly mobility, ”City Councilor Daniel Leupi is quoted as saying in the press release.

  • Hibernate with solar power

    Hibernate with solar power

    Buildings are increasingly becoming small power plants, since photovoltaic modules capture solar energy on more and more roofs. But the sun doesn't always shine and the demand for electricity fluctuates greatly over the year. Storage technologies are therefore in demand. Geothermal probes provide heat in winter, but no electricity. Batteries, on the other hand, make technical sense, but they are short-term storage devices and therefore not seasonal electricity storage devices. With the Seebrighof development in Hausen am Albis, the electricity works of the canton of Zurich are therefore taking a different, new approach. The 28 apartments in the attached farmhouse and the new building draw solar energy from the roof of the house. So that this is also available in winter, EKZ is installing a hydrogen storage facility – one of the first of its kind in Switzerland.

    If, on summer days, the solar system delivers more electricity than the residents consume, it does not get back into the grid. Instead, the power-to-gas plant uses it to make hydrogen. In winter, when the energy requirement is higher, the system converts the hydrogen back into energy. "In the fuel cells of the plant, around 55 percent of this electricity is generated," explains Georg Putzi, Product Manager Energy Contracting at EKZ. The remaining 45 percent of the stored energy escapes as waste heat, which heats the building.

    Seasonal electricity storage offers several advantages. The system is environmentally friendly because it only needs tap water and locally produced solar power. The public power grid is relieved. A battery compensates for short-term fluctuations, so the P2G system can be operated more efficiently.

    In summer, the power-to-gas system uses solar energy to make hydrogen; in winter, it converts it back into energy.

    The system in Hausen am Albis is based on a standardized concept that EKZ developed. This makes the technology cheaper, more adaptable and scalable. It can also be used for larger residential complexes or retrofitted in old buildings. "If there is already a solar system with an association for self-consumption (ZEV), the hydrogen technology can be supplemented," says Putzi. The technology can also be easily combined with heat pump systems, as in Hausen am Albis. In winter the environment supplies the heat (e.g. geothermal probes, groundwater or air), the hydrogen storage system supplies the electricity.

    The P2G system has no particular influence on the building services; it just needs space near the heating center. In contrast, the gas storage facility is architecturally relevant. For safety reasons, it must be positioned outside the building so that the volatile hydrogen can escape in an emergency. The gas storage consists of gas cylinders, which are grouped as a bundle and covered with a housing that the architects can adapt.

    With the system, the client increases the energy self-sufficiency and saves electricity costs in winter. "The P2G system is currently not yet cost-covering," says Georg Putzi. If the electricity prices rise in the future and the costs for the system fall, it will become significantly more economical. “Such pioneering work is important in order to gain experience and develop the market further,” says Putzi. Switzerland currently imports a lot of electricity in winter. If Germany switches off the coal-fired power plants, the winter shortage will be even greater. Storage technologies based on gases and liquids are therefore given high priority in the Federal Council's Energy Strategy 2050. With a P2G system, the buildings can help alleviate the challenges in terms of power supply in winter.

  • Swissolar calls for a faster pace of solar expansion

    Swissolar calls for a faster pace of solar expansion

    The expansion of solar systems in Switzerland in 2020 was around 30 to 39 percent higher than in the previous year and thus at a record level. That is at least the estimate of the Swissolar association based on the figures already available on the statistics for solar energy 2020, which will be published in July.

    In a communication on the occasion of the National Photovoltaic Conference in Bern, Swisssolar points out that the pace of the expansion must be further accelerated. The Federal Council's Energy Perspectives 2050+ anticipate annual solar power production of 34 terawatt hours by 2050. Swissolar would even aim for 45 terawatt hours. However, the annual expansion for both goals must be increased by a factor of three to four compared to the previous year, according to Swissolar.

    According to Swissolar, the framework conditions would also have to be optimized for a faster pace of expansion. According to the association's assessment, the expansion of photovoltaic systems in Switzerland will mainly take place on the roofs and facades of buildings. An evaluation by Swissolar shows that small and medium-sized systems of less than 150 square meters on the roofs of single and multi-family houses hold almost half of the “easily accessible” solar potential. The association therefore demands that investment security should be created for these systems as a priority. In the medium term, the winter production of electricity is likely to become increasingly important. According to the association, alpine solar systems in particular are likely to play an important role here.

  • Model clarifies the cycle of building materials

    Model clarifies the cycle of building materials

    With his dissertation, industrial engineer Daniel Kliem wants to create the basis for the recycling of building materials at the OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, across cantons. As it is said in a media release, the “cantonal spirit” is a hindrance in the political process. If, for example, the price for mining gravel and dumping demolition and excavation is raised in one canton in order to provide incentives for recycling, the problem would only shift to other regions: “Dismantling material and excavation would then be transported to other cantons and new material would then drive from further away, ”said Kliem.

    Now a participatively developed model wants to clarify the system dynamics. In addition to three OST institutes, experts from the Universities of St.Gallen and Bergen , the Zurich Office for Waste, Water, Energy and Air as well as Energy and Resource Management GmbH are involved in this four-year project. Despite the complex dynamics, it has already created a comprehensive understanding of the problem and has been able to identify actionable fields of action. For example, the processes and spatial planning measures would have to be redefined. In addition, construction-intensive cantons such as Zurich should be included and the taxation of resources should be regulated nationally.

    "The realization that even experts can learn new things with models and gain new perspectives and inputs was exciting," Kliem is quoted as saying. “The obvious measure to increase the price of gravel is good and works. But if the catchment areas are included, the cooperation between cantons serves as a key to prevent additional transport. "

  • Army real estate only uses renewables

    Army real estate only uses renewables

    The properties of the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS ) used by the armed forces only use electricity that is generated from renewable energies, especially hydropower, the DDPS informs in a message on the current sustainability report of the Federal Office of Armaments (armasuisse ). According to her, the CO2 emissions caused by the VBS properties have also been significantly reduced compared to the previous year. Specifically, 36,600 tons of CO2 were emitted last year.

    The current sustainability report shows "how armasuisse real estate builds resource-intensive military infrastructures sustainably and operates them economically over the entire life cycle," the press release goes on to say. The report also provides important key figures. One example is the share of expenditure on planning and construction work that is attributable to local suppliers. It is estimated in the communication at 85 percent.

    In addition, the report contains a conversation with division general Thomas Kaiser, is further explained in the communication. In this, the head of the army's logistics base presented “his vision of a sustainable future for the army's logistics base”.

  • Federal Council wants more renewable electricity in winter

    Federal Council wants more renewable electricity in winter

    The Federal Council wants to strengthen the security of the electricity supply. To this end, it passed the message on the federal law on a secure electricity supply with renewable energies. According to a statement by the Federal Council, this provides, among other things, for promoting the expansion of domestic renewable energies more strongly than previously planned. In particular, he wants to strengthen security of supply in winter.

    According to the message, 17 terawatt hours of electricity are to be generated from renewable sources in 2035, 14 terawatt hours of which from photovoltaics. So far, the target value was 11.4 terawatt hours. In 2050, production is expected to be 39 terawatt hours; the previous target was 24.2 terawatt hours.

    In order to secure the supply in winter, 2 terawatt hours of climate-neutral electricity are to be generated by 2040 in addition to the previous target values, which must be safely available in winter. This is to be achieved primarily through large storage power plants, which are compensated through a winter surcharge. In addition, a strategic energy reserve is to be established that will also secure the power supply towards the end of winter.

    The Federal Council wants to extend the financing of the current funding instruments, which are limited to the end of 2022 and 2030, until 2035. The amount of the network surcharge should be 2.3 cents per kilowatt hour.

    In addition, the electricity market is to be opened up completely, thereby strengthening decentralized electricity production. A basic supply that continues to exist is intended to protect small end consumers.

  • Enerdrape wins with climate panels for buildings

    Enerdrape wins with climate panels for buildings

    Enerdrape has 150, 000 francs under the support of Venture Kick obtained as from a message stating. The spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ) is developing a sustainable solution for air conditioning in buildings. The start-up's system consists of modular panels that are installed indoors. These use the existing thermal energy and waste heat to heat and cool the building.

    According to Enerdrape, heating and cooling buildings alone are responsible for around 40 percent of CO2 emissions in Europe. According to the start-up, sustainable alternatives often require a complex installation process and are also expensive. In contrast, the solution from Enerdrape is cheap and easy to implement. The company's panels are particularly intended for installation in underground garages and commercial buildings. In Europe, Enerdrape sees a potential market of CHF 40 million here.

    The Venture Kick funding initiative supports young companies from the idea to the establishment of a company. The Venture Kick Foundation mandated the institute for young companies , which is represented in Schlieren ZH, St.Gallen and Lausanne, to carry out the initiative.

  • ewz equips 70 Aldi roofs with solar modules

    ewz equips 70 Aldi roofs with solar modules

    Around 70 Aldi Suisse branches can use self-produced solar power either now or in the near future. According to a media release from Aldi, “one of the largest solar energy projects in Switzerland” is on the home straight. A total of 45,000 solar modules will then have been installed on the approximately 70 Aldi Suisse branch roofs. The photovoltaic systems are installed and operated by ewz .

    The electricity generated from around 14 million kilowatt hours corresponds roughly to the annual consumption of 5,000 households. Together with the "largest connected solar system in Switzerland" on the roof of the Aldi Suisse distribution center in Perlen ZH, a total of over 22 million kilowatt hours of electricity would then be produced. This could supply around 8,400 households for a year.

    Aldi Suisse uses the majority of this for lighting or cooling its own branches and for electric charging stations. So far, they have been built at 10 percent of the locations. Any surpluses would be fed into the grid by ewz. "We are proud", says Jérôme Meyer, Aldi Country Manager, "that with solar energy projects like this we are helping to further systematically reduce the company's own CO2 footprint".

  • LafargeHolcim strengthens the cycle in the wind industry

    LafargeHolcim strengthens the cycle in the wind industry

    The Zug-based building materials group LafargeHolcim and the Paris-based General Electric subsidiary GE Renewable Energy are teaming up. According to a press release, together they want to find new ways of recycling materials from dismantled wind turbines. The rotor blades are also to become part of a circular economy, among other things as material for the construction of new wind farms.

    Both want to develop closed loop solutions especially for the European market. The background to this is that wind turbines that are aging there by 2025 with a cumulative output of almost 10 gigawatts will be repowered, i.e. replaced with more powerful ones of the latest generation or shut down.

    "With sustainability at the heart of our strategy, the acceleration of renewable energies and the circular economy are top priorities for our company," said Edelio Bermejo, head of the Global Innovation Center at LafargeHolcim. “I am very happy about this collaboration with GE Renewable Energy because it fulfills both goals.” According to the CEO of his partner, Jérôme Pécresse, this collaboration “will make a significant contribution to increasing the sustainability of wind energy today and in the future ".

    Both companies have been working together since 2020. Together with the Danish company Cobod , they are developing record-high towers for wind turbines using concrete 3D printing. These towers are "more robust, more efficient and will be manufactured ten times faster than before," says the press release. According to its own information, LafargeHolcim recycled 46 million tons of material last year. By 2030 it should be 100 million tons.

  • Waste heat from food production will heat miles

    Waste heat from food production will heat miles

    Since the beginning of the year, Delica AG's sweets and snacks have been produced in Meilen with energy obtained from the water of Lake Zurich, explains Energie 360 ° in a press release . The Zurich energy service company implemented this project for Delica AG, which belongs to Migros. “This is a big step towards CO2-neutral production,” said Markus Müller, responsible for energy management at Delica AG in Meilen, in the message.

    The waste heat from the production process is to be used for heating in miles. For this purpose, Energie 360 ° will implement an energy network together with the municipality of Meilen. From autumn next year around 100 properties could be supplied with heating energy, explains the energy service company. Together, they would save around 1.1 million liters of heating oil each year and thus avoid up to 3,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

    Those interested can find out more about the project online and check a connection option, says Energie 360 °. The company also offers a guide price calculator there, with which a guide price offer can be obtained.

  • Swiss Life Arena produces ice in a CO2-neutral way

    Swiss Life Arena produces ice in a CO2-neutral way

    The Swiss Life Arena should be “a showpiece in terms of energy efficiency”, writes the electricity company of the city of Zurich ( ewz ) in a press release . It created the energy concept for the ice rink in Zurich Altstetten. “We have incorporated our many years of experience in the planning, implementation and technical operation of arenas such as the Hallenstadion in Zurich, the Swisspor Arena in Lucerne or the Vaudoise Arena in Lausanne,” says Christoph Deiss, Head of Energy Solutions at ewz Communication cited.

    The heart of the concept is the arena’s energy center, which produces the cold for the ice surface and the energy for the indoor climate. The waste heat produced by the four refrigeration machines is used on the one hand to heat the rooms. On the other hand, the arena is to be connected to the Altstetten and Höngg energy network. In this way, the waste heat from the refrigeration machines will contribute to the heat supply of households connected to the energy network in the future. “We decided on an energy concept from ewz that guarantees ecological sustainability,” said Peter Zahner, CEO of the ZSC Lions , in the message. “We were particularly impressed by the innovative approach to utilize synergies – not least from an economic point of view.”

    In order for the Swiss Life Arena to meet the Minergie standard for ice arenas, a photovoltaic system with an output of 400 kilowatts peak will also be installed on the roof of the stadium. Heating and cooling as well as the electricity additionally supplied by ewz are produced “100 percent CO2-free”, writes ewz. A building automation system should control the systems in a demand-oriented and energy-efficient manner.

  • AEW Energie AG puts salt battery into operation

    AEW Energie AG puts salt battery into operation

    In the future, AEW will provide its AEW myHome customers with an environmentally friendly alternative to lithium-ion batteries. For this purpose, the energy supplier in the Aarau area has added a salt battery storage system from Innovenergy GmbH to its range, according to a media release . The provider from Meiringen BE assembles and sells the battery system.

    The salt battery can be integrated into the overall AEW myHome system. This consists of a heat pump, photovoltaic system with storage, electric charging station and a smart controller. This makes the new type of battery suitable for single and multi-family house owners who want to generate, store and use their own energy. They are suitable wherever a lot of energy is produced and average power is required.

    The salt-based battery storage has an energy density similar to that of a lithium-ion battery and has a service life of at least 15 years. In addition, the salt battery is maintenance-free and 100 percent recyclable. The robust salt battery storage system can neither burn nor explode and also runs in extreme temperatures between -20 degrees and 60 degrees Celsius.

    According to a press release, 32 percent of the table salt-based battery is made up of normal table salt, which comes from Swiss salt pans. This ensures short transport routes. In addition, it contains iron, nickel and ceramics.

    All of these advantages come at a price: A salt battery costs around a third more than a conventional battery. “Nonetheless, we are feeling the growing need for ecology and sustainability. We are sure that more and more customers will consider this storage solution, ”said Patrick Seiger from the AEW myHome team in the press release.

  • Buildings of the Zurich city administration will be CO2-neutral

    Buildings of the Zurich city administration will be CO2-neutral

    According to a media release from the City of Zurich, all of the properties owned by the city administration are to become CO2-neutral by 2035. City Councilor André Odermatt (SP), Head of the Building Construction Department, presented a strategy for this this week.

    According to the announcement, a large part of the operating emissions can be traced back to fossil heat generation. Among other things, all fossil heating systems should therefore be replaced by alternative heat sources. The heat will come from heat networks or district heating systems. Further measures include technical innovations, improvements in energy efficiency and changes in behavior.

    The portfolio of Immobilien Stadt Zürich (IMMO) includes school complexes, office buildings and workshops. Since 2007, thanks to various measures, it has already been possible to more than halve the buildings' annual CO2 emissions by around 23,000 tonnes to around 20,000 tonnes. A reduction of 90 percent is to be achieved by 2030, before the buildings become completely CO2-neutral in 2035.

    “The goal is ambitious, but the size of our portfolio with around 1,800 buildings also obliges us to set ambitious goals. IMMO can make a significant contribution to urban climate policy, ”Odermatt is quoted as saying.

  • Also new for heat pumps: Switzerland-wide climate bonus for replacing oil and gas heating systems is being expanded

    Also new for heat pumps: Switzerland-wide climate bonus for replacing oil and gas heating systems is being expanded

    Switzerland-wide funding with no upper limit
    This is exactly where Energie Zukunft Schweiz comes in: The climate bonus is a large-scale, Switzerland-wide funding program with no maximum amount and is expected to run until 2025. The climate bonus for wood heating systems launched in August 2020 has hit the nerve of the times: a total of around 600 funding requests have been received since then.

    Fossil heating with a total output of 12 MW is already being replaced with the help of the climate premium. For a heating center for eight apartment buildings with an output of 316 kW, for example, a subsidy of CHF 110,000 was spoken, which covered around 60% of the investment costs. With this system alone, 56,000 liters of heating oil can be saved per year, which corresponds to emissions of around 125 tons of CO₂.

    Even more attractive thanks to the expansion to include heat pumps
    Following the successful launch for wood heating systems, Energie Zukunft Schweiz is now expanding the program to include heat pumps. The subsidy for water / water and brine / water heat pumps is 1.80 francs per liter of oil or cubic meter of natural gas saved. For an air / water heat pump, the amount is 1 franc. With correctly dimensioned heating, that is around 360 francs for a brine / water heat pump and 200 francs per kilowatt of power for an air / water heat pump.

    Energie Zukunft Schweiz provides an online subsidy calculator to estimate the expected subsidy amount. The funding is financed by the KliK Foundation for Climate Protection and CO₂ Compensation. The program is regulated by the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN.

    Funding contributions for all areas – also for public buildings, office buildings and industrial companies
    The fact that there is no upper limit for funding and not only for the residential sector makes the program for large-scale heating systems – for example for community buildings, process heat in industrial companies, apartment blocks, large commercial or office buildings or entire areas – particularly attractive. A substantial proportion of the investment costs are covered and complex, multivalent systems are also eligible for funding.

    Decarbonization is accelerating
    Renewable heating systems offer many advantages: They not only protect the climate by significantly reducing CO2 emissions, they also have a positive influence on the image and value of real estate. With the generous subsidies for wood heating systems and heat pumps and the uniform processing throughout Switzerland, the climate bonus accelerates the decarbonisation of heating systems in Switzerland significantly. The investment costs are massively reduced. The dilemma that climate-damaging technologies are preferred for reasons of cost has thus been overcome.

  • Stadtwerk Winterthur pushes conversion to renewables

    Stadtwerk Winterthur pushes conversion to renewables

    Stadtwerk Winterthur is consistently pursuing the conversion of the energy supply to renewable energies, explains the energy company of the City of Winterthur in a communication on the 2020 annual financial statements . In the year under review, Stadtwerk Winterthur installed 14 new photovoltaic systems, among other things. Since April, only biogas and CO2-compensated natural gas have been offered as basic gas products.

    In order to promote the switch to district heating, the company also refrains from actively selling new gas connections. The basic supply of electricity has been offered exclusively through electricity from renewable energy sources since the beginning of 2020.

    Stadtwerk Winterthur explains in the press release that biogas is currently around 13 percent of the total sales volume. This year the share is to be increased to 33 percent. The company also plans to install 100 new photovoltaic systems by 2025. In addition, it is planned to renew incineration line 2 of the waste incineration plant in the Grüze. This means that additional areas can be supplied with district heating, writes Stadtwerk Winterthur.

    In the year under review, Stadtwerk Winterthur generated total sales of 239 million francs, slightly below the previous year's figure. The profit, on the other hand, has increased significantly to 33 million francs, explains the company. The communication cites very good purchase prices for electricity and gas as a background.

  • AKB Green Hypothek saves tons of CO2

    AKB Green Hypothek saves tons of CO2

    The Aargauische Kantonalbank has set itself the goal of becoming the most sustainable bank in the canton of Aargau for its strategy period from 2021 to 2024. To this end, the Green Mortgage and the Green Bond were launched in 2020. Now the AKB has had the effect of the green financing offers on the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of buildings examined.

    In the Impact Reporting of the Information and Training Center for Real Estate AG (IAZI), according to the AKB media release, the total annual savings in CO2 emissions are around 232 tonnes. According to the IAZI test report, the calculation is based on a list of 93 homes that were financed with the help of the AKB Green Mortgage in the year under review or granted as earmarked loans for sustainable renovation measures. The IAZI report was audited by EY's auditors.

    The 232 tonnes of CO2 savings in the projections of the IAZI test report correspond to the annual emissions of around 190 new, commercially available passenger cars, according to the report. Or they correspond to the average annual Swiss consumption of 16 individuals.

    The promotion of environmentally friendly construction leads to emission reductions in buildings, is stated in the AKB communication. With the Green Mortgage, AKB offers environmentally conscious property owners the opportunity to build or renovate their own home according to climate-friendly criteria. The financing takes place through a green bond that the AKB has issued.

    The Kantonalbank points out that, in addition to new buildings and individual measures to save energy, the Green Mortgage also covers comprehensive renovations to increase energy efficiency or the use of renewable energies.

  • BKW, AEK and onyx are merging their networks

    BKW, AEK and onyx are merging their networks

    BKW Energie AG in Bern, AEK Energie AG in Solothurn and onyx Energie Mittelland AG in Langenthal will all operate under one roof on January 1, 2022. The merger of the three distribution network operators of the BKW Group is to be approved at the general meetings of AEK and onyx next year, according to a media release .

    The locations in the areas of Emmental, Oberaargau, Seeland, Oberland, Jura and Solothurn are to be retained, as are the more than 600 jobs in the areas of energy, buildings and infrastructure.

    The employees are to develop the largest distribution network in Switzerland in the future. For this purpose, a place for new, future-oriented cooperation models in the areas of energy and infrastructure will be created in Solothurn.

    The merger of the networks is a reaction of the companies to a changing market environment in the course of the energy transition, according to the media release. So there are increasingly high power peaks when owners of electric cars connect their cars for charging at the same time.

    In addition, more and more consumers who produce electricity themselves are feeding their surpluses into the grid. This leads to higher costs. These additional costs are to be cushioned through closer coordination, standardization and automation of the previously independent networks.

    The networks from BKW, AEK and onyx supply one million people with electricity. They include 425,000 connections and 22,000 kilometers of network along the Aare from the Grimsel to Solothurn and in the Jura.

  • Zurich is the most sustainable city in Switzerland

    Zurich is the most sustainable city in Switzerland

    The British IG Bank has compiled a list of the most sustainable Swiss cities. According to this, Zurich is considered the most sustainable city in Switzerland. Lausanne, Bern, Lucerne, St.Gallen, Lugano, Geneva and Basel follow Zurich.

    For its ranking, the bank used government data sources from the eight largest cities. She then combined the results with evaluations from international agencies. The focal points in determining sustainability included air quality, the use of public transport, the proportion of recreational areas, the population density and the proportion of populated areas.

    IG Bank emphasizes that Zurich is not only the most sustainable, but also the largest city in Switzerland. This makes the top position all the more impressive. Zurich did well in all areas. However, the use of public transport was particularly decisive. According to the bank, 67.1 percent of residents use some form of public transport. This is one of the main reasons for the good air quality in the city. As a further highlight, IG Bank highlights the fact that Zurich has its own government department for sustainable building. This focuses on creating a 2000 watt society.

    IG Bank is convinced that current and future investments will be strongly oriented towards sustainability. The aim of their ranking is to "highlight Switzerland's commitment to sustainability". In addition, the data should serve as an “indicator for future trends and show what other big cities could do to repeat Switzerland's success”.

  • Sika supports the introduction of Swiss eco-cement

    Sika supports the introduction of Swiss eco-cement

    LC3 stands for Limestone Calcined Clay Cement and was developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ). It is a sustainable cement product that has a clinker content that is up to 50 percent lower than that of traditional cement. Clinker makes a significant contribution to CO2 emissions during cement production. In LC3, a large proportion of clinker is replaced with a new additive, which means that overall less CO2 is emitted in cement production.

    The Zug-based construction chemicals group Sika wants to support the market launch of LC3, as he writes in a press release. He wants to develop and offer special cement additives and concrete admixtures that help customers adapt their materials to the properties of LC3. This should enable the water consumption, workability, hardening and durability of the LC3 concrete to remain the same compared to conventional products. According to its own statements, Sika is also ready for “comprehensive product tests with interested customers”.

    "With these new LC3 products, we are putting the goals of our sustainability strategy into practice," said Frank Höfflin, Sika's head of technology, in the press release. “Our aim is to act as an enabler for sustainability in the construction industry and to develop more environmentally friendly and more efficient products,” he emphasizes.

  • Zurich is the most sustainable city in Switzerland

    Zurich is the most sustainable city in Switzerland

    The British IG Bank has compiled a list of the most sustainable Swiss cities. According to this, Zurich is considered the most sustainable city in Switzerland. Lausanne, Bern, Lucerne, St.Gallen, Lugano, Geneva and Basel follow Zurich.

    For its ranking, the bank used government data sources from the eight largest cities. She then combined the results with evaluations from international agencies. The focal points in determining sustainability included air quality, the use of public transport, the proportion of recreational areas, the population density and the proportion of populated areas.

    IG Bank emphasizes that Zurich is not only the most sustainable, but also the largest city in Switzerland. This makes the top position all the more impressive. Zurich did well in all areas. However, the use of public transport was particularly decisive. According to the bank, 67.1 percent of residents use some form of public transport. This is one of the main reasons for the good air quality in the city. As a further highlight, IG Bank highlights the fact that Zurich has its own government department for sustainable building. This focuses on creating a 2000 watt society.

    IG Bank is convinced that current and future investments will be strongly oriented towards sustainability. The aim of their ranking is to "highlight Switzerland's commitment to sustainability". In addition, the data should serve as an “indicator for future trends and show what other big cities could do to repeat Switzerland's success”.

  • ESB promotes conversion to district heating

    ESB promotes conversion to district heating

    At the beginning of the month, ESB launched a program to promote a connection to heating networks in Biel, the energy company informed in a message . With this, ESB wants to support the Biel climate strategy, it says there. In particular, ESB wants to contribute to the city's goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050.

    Most of the buildings in the city of Biel are currently heated with fossil fuels, writes ESB. Switching to district heating therefore has "high potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions". In order to reach as many property owners as possible, funding for connection to a district heating network is granted regardless of the current energy source.

    Applicants must meet a number of requirements for a contribution to the connection costs, as explained in the communication. On the one hand, the property in question must be located in the area of the city of Biel and be connected to a heating network that is operated with at least 80 percent renewable energies or waste heat. On the other hand, the heating energy must be drawn from the heating network as soon as it is available. Cold connections are therefore excluded from funding. In the case of a connection also funded by the canton of Bern, the ESB grant will also be reduced by the cantonal grant.

  • Nyon builds district heating network

    Nyon builds district heating network

    Nyoner Stadtwerke and Romande Energie establish the joint venture thermorésÔ Nyon SA. This is to set up a district heating network in the city on Lake Geneva, to which up to 130 buildings can be connected, write the city and the Vaudois energy supplier in a message .

    The network is to be heated to 85 percent with wood chips from the region. Natural gas or biogas should only be used at peak times in winter. The initiators expect a reduction in CO2 emissions of more than 7,000 tons.

    Stadtwerke and Romande Energie are already working together on the EnergeÔ project. This is intended to promote the use of geothermal energy from medium depths. This geothermal energy should also be able to be used in the new district heating network in the future.

  • Sustainable building network develops new standard

    Sustainable building network develops new standard

    The Zurich Sustainable Building Network Switzerland (NNBS) has published a new measuring and control instrument for sustainable building. As of April, a specially set up technical secretariat takes care of the announcement of the new standard, as stated in a press release . The department is intended to be the point of contact for engineers, planners and builders in all construction phases.

    The civil engineer and professor for sustainable building at the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Burgdorf, Stephan Wütherich, is in charge of the secretariat. Erdjan Opan from OPAN concept SA also brings his knowledge to the secretariat. He played a key role in developing the standard for sustainable building in the infrastructure sector.

    The standard measures the sustainability of a project using 75 indicators. It can be used in all project phases from the location decision through project development and construction to operation, maintenance and dismantling. The users use it to assess various topics such as health and safety, costs and benefits, energy and soil, as well as community, climate and landscape, like checklists.

    The catalog also helps to question established processes, raise funds and support communication with political actors and the population, according to the announcement.

    The standard is based on the SIA 112/2 "Sustainable Building – Civil Engineering and Infrastructures" standard and is compatible with other application systems.

  • Implenia wants to make construction sites CO2-free

    Implenia wants to make construction sites CO2-free

    The Norwegian subsidiary of the Implenia construction group, Implenia Norge AS, has signed a contract with Oslo-based TECO 2030 ASA for the development and testing of hydrogen-powered construction solutions. In doing so, Implenia is responding to the Norwegian government's goal of ensuring that all construction sites in the transport sector should be free of fossil fuels by 2025.

    “Our fuel cells can be used for large ships and other heavy-duty applications,” explains TECO 2030 CEO Tore Enger in a press release from his company, “why not also drive devices on construction sites? We are very pleased that an industry leader like Implenia has decided to work with TECO 2030 to develop and test the fuel cells that are necessary to achieve the climate targets. "

    “Our collaboration with TECO 2030 is an important part of our strategic plan and our corporate sustainability goal,” says Audun Aaland, CEO of Implenia Norge AS.

    The agreement between the two companies extends for a period of five years. It comprises the three steps of project financing, product development, and commercialization and use. The first fuel cells are to be delivered in January 2023.

  • Hotel Rotbuche: energy efficiency, ecology and comfort

    Hotel Rotbuche: energy efficiency, ecology and comfort

    • Hotel Rotbuche:
      Energy efficiency, ecology and comfort were the requirements and specifications for the energy supply and the energy system.
    • The energy
      supply system.

    The groundbreaking ceremony for the Hotel Rotbuche in Rapperswil-Jona took place in mid-February of last year. The three requirements and specifications for the energy supply and the energy system for the new hotel were clear: energy efficiency, ecology and comfort. In order to implement these requirements, geothermal probes were drilled as an energy source for the heat pump and a sustainable energy concept was developed in cooperation with Energie Zürichsee Linth (EZL). EZL will also operate and maintain the building technology as a contractor.

    Heat recovery measures
    "The reversible heat pump can be used to provide heat for heating purposes and for domestic hot water," explains Roman Fausch, project manager for energy services at EZL. In summer there is the possibility of cooling the building in an energy-efficient way using geothermal probes, according to the expert. If there is a high need for cooling, there is also the option of using cold from the reversible heat pump. Various heat recovery measures are also installed and, thanks to an intelligent control system, also regulated as required. "In connection with energy and sustainability, it is one of the most sustainable hotel projects that we have been able to plan and implement," says Stefano Ghisleni, general planner at Ghisleni Partner AG, based in Rapperswil, Zurich, St. Gallen and Zug.

    At the Moxy Hotel Rotbuche, the natural heat comes from a depth of around 200 to 250 meters. The 23 probes, distributed over the entire construction area, withdraw 10 to 15 degrees from the ground. The heat is fed into the heat pump in the building using a carrier fluid and converted. This is how it gets into the hotel's heating and air conditioning system. The entire length of the geothermal probe control system is more than five kilometers.

    Reduction of the room temperature by up to four degrees
    Those responsible for the project emphasize that the basic need for room cooling in the warmer seasons in the Hotel Rotbuche can be covered with the environmentally friendly free cooling system. This means that the room temperature can be reduced by up to four degrees. This has a positive side effect: the dissipated heat is in turn temporarily stored in the geothermal probes and can be used for hot water preparation or in winter for heat supply. A photovoltaic system is installed on the roof to operate the heat pump. With around thirty percent, it should provide sufficient coverage to cover part of the electricity demand. "The moderately controlled balancing of heat and cold makes a continuous room climate possible without massive temperature fluctuations," says project manager Roman Fausch. The first guests will be able to feel this for themselves from the coming autumn. At this point in time, the new “Rotbuche” hotel with its 86 rooms is due to open. ■

  • Photovoltaic expansion is in its infancy

    Photovoltaic expansion is in its infancy

    Photovoltaics should be next to the hydroelectric power to buttress a climate-friendly energy future, the association of independent power producers (writes Vese ) in a release . The specialist group of the Swiss Association for Solar Energy has developed an online map on which the development status of photovoltaics in the individual communities, districts or cantons is shown. The interactive map also optionally shows the nationwide status or the expansion of individual power plants.

    VESE explains that the map shows a very heterogeneous picture of the state of photovoltaics. Depending on the canton, the installed capacity per inhabitant is up to five times higher or lower. The cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Jura have the highest level of development with more than 600 watts of power per inhabitant. In contrast, in the canton of Zurich, only 134 watts of power per inhabitant have been installed so far.

    This could not be due to a lack of space, explains VESE in the press release. Even the front-runner Appenzell Innerrhoden is only using its potential to an "infinitesimally small 5.2 percent". For VESE project manager Diego Fischer, the photovoltaic policy is more responsible. It is "a big patchwork in which the hot potato is pushed back and forth between the federal government, the cantons, the municipalities, the electricity companies and the investors, and in the end everyone is wondering why things are not moving faster".

    In order to promote the expansion of photovoltaics, the cantons and municipalities have to make better use of the instruments available to them, says Fischer. Specifically, the VESE project manager addresses the remuneration of solar power fed in and subsidies to supplement one-off payments. Fischer wants to increase the expansion of photovoltaics on the roofs of rental properties through building regulations.

  • Dietiker city council presents new energy and climate strategy 2050

    Dietiker city council presents new energy and climate strategy 2050

    The Dietikon City Council has approved the new Energy and Climate Strategy 2050 with seven specific fields of action. The strategy focuses on the expansion of renewable energies, energy efficiency and security of supply, according to a media release .

    Among the seven goals named in the new strategy, the intention to reduce the city administration's energy-related greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030 stands out. For the population and companies, the goal of freedom from greenhouse gas emissions then applies to 2040. And by 2050, non-energy-related emissions, such as in agriculture or waste recycling, should be offset with zero emissions or with so-called negative emissions. The concrete implementation should begin immediately. The municipal energy planning will be revised by the end of the year.

    "The strategy allows us to implement climate protection and the energy transition in Dietikon in an even more targeted manner," said City Councilor Anton Kiwic, Head of Building Construction and President of the Energy Commission. Dietikon is thus making its contribution to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and for the future quality of the location for the population and the economy.

    A small six-page brochure on the new strategy with many links on climate policy is available on the website of the City of Dietikon. There it says: Dietikon will be climate neutral. To do this, we are reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 at the latest. In addition, we remain committed to the goals of the 2000-watt society and, as the energy city of gold and smart cities, play a pioneering role in national energy and climate policy.

  • Schaffhausen receives new data center

    Schaffhausen receives new data center

    The Geneva data center operator Safe Host is investing in the Schaffhausen community of Beringen. He wants to build a data center on the site of the former SIG tennis club. According to a press release, the building application was submitted on April 9th. There are two projects to be approved: On the one hand, the data center itself with its ancillary buildings. On the other hand, a new substation for the electricity company of the canton of Schaffhausen ( EKS ). The latter should, among other things, enable the feed-in of larger amounts of renewable energies.

    The data center will generate solar power itself. Photovoltaic shelves will be installed on all free roof areas and on the south facade. In addition, the office complex is heated with the waste heat generated by the data center itself. The rainwater is also stored where possible and processed for cooling.

    According to the announcement, the municipality of Beringen sees the project as a "further milestone in the development of the industrial quarter". The local council is convinced that such a “high-tech building” has a “signal effect” in Beringen.

    The architectural office Schmidli Architekten + Partner from Rafz ZH is responsible for the planning. This has already been entrusted with the planning of Safe Host's data center in Rafz, which is currently still under construction.

    The Beringer data center is already the fifth owned by Safe Host. In addition to the new data center in Rafz, the company also has three centers in the greater Geneva area.