immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Energy

  • Schneider Electric procures green electricity for VELUX

    Schneider Electric procures green electricity for VELUX

    The VELUX Group and the electrical engineering group Schneider Electric will enter into a partnership with Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for renewable energies. According to a media release , Schneider Electric will support the VELUX Group with procurement as a full-service purchasing consultant.

    As it is also stated there, the VELUX Group has committed itself to achieving its goal of 100 percent renewable electricity by 2023 and climate neutrality by 2030. In addition, the company is working on halving CO2 emissions in its entire value chain by 2030. At the same time, it will offset the group's entire historical carbon footprint, which dates back to its founding in 1941, through forest protection projects. These would be identified and managed by the WWF.

    When concluding a PPA, a company undertakes to purchase electricity over the long term at an agreed price. This helps the operators of wind and solar systems with their investments. Because PPAs can be deposited as security at banks and insurance companies.

    "We are committed to contributing to a sustainable future", says Jörn Neubert, Senior Vice President of Supply of the VELUX Group. “We are proud to be among the first companies in the world and to be the first company in the construction industry to take responsibility for past and future CO2 emissions. The partnership with Schneider Electric is an important part of that. "

  • EKZ achieves good operating results with stable sales

    EKZ achieves good operating results with stable sales

    EKZ draws a positive balance for the 2019/20 financial year with stable sales, expansion of the production of renewable energy, especially in wind power, and an operating result that has enabled a profit distribution of CHF 41.3 million to the canton and municipalities for the first time. According to the press release, the operating result (EBIT) was CHF 61.3 million and the company's result, i.e. total income minus total expenses, was CHF 88.2 million.

    EKZ's electricity sales remained stable in the first half of 2020 despite the lockdown. The lower sales among traders and the closure of shopping centers have been compensated for by shifting to higher sales in home offices. The EKZ supplies around 315,000 households and businesses with renewable energy.

    The production capacities from renewable energy were expanded. The EKZ in Switzerland relies on the expansion of solar energy and domestic hydropower. The Dietikon river power plant was put back into operation. In Spain and Portugal the investment focus was on solar energy, in France and Germany on electricity production from wind power. With above-average wind conditions, 496 gigawatt hours of electricity were generated from wind energy, reports the EKZ.

    Other focal points of the shopping center were charging solutions for tenants, apartment or house owners as well as the prosumer area. These are electricity consumers who are producers themselves at the same time as their own solar systems.

    EKZ has been involved inPrimeo Energie AG since January 1st to work together in energy sales for energy supply companies and business customers.

  • Swiss cities are getting smarter

    Swiss cities are getting smarter

    Thanks to digitization, networking, participation and efficiency, a smart city should contribute to a higher quality of life and more sustainability. This is how most Swiss cities explain the concept of the Smart City, according to a study by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ( ZHAW).

    The ZHAW carried out the study for the first time this year and was supported by several partners. A total of 84 Swiss cities and municipalities took part. According to the results, more than half of them rate the topic of smart cities as important or very important and are actively involved in it. At the end of 2020, however, only 23 cities had a developed smart city strategy. According to the ZHAW, this number is likely to increase in the coming years. For example, a strategy is already being developed for seven cities.

    The ZHAW has examined the development of intelligent cities using nine dimensions. The cities surveyed had a total of 329 existing projects in these dimensions. Most of the projects – 98 in total – are part of the Smart Governance dimension. City apps or chatbots, for example, make it easier to access information relevant to administration. This category also includes digital building permits or the digital notification of relocation.

    There are also 76 projects in the Smart Energy and Environment dimension. Certification as an energy city was mentioned here particularly often. Many projects aim to promote renewable energies and conserve resources. But intelligent power grids and lighting systems are also in focus in several cities.

    According to the ZHAW, most smart city projects are initiated within the administration, by energy suppliers or by politics. The cities are often based on other cities at home and abroad. However, many cities would like more support overall from the federal government and the cantons.

  • Swiss Energypark achieves record production

    Swiss Energypark achieves record production

    Last year, the Swiss Energypark achieved a production record for the generation of energy from wind power, hydropower and solar power. The amount of energy is stated in a press release as 127 gigawatt hours. In mathematical terms, this corresponds to the consumption of 28,200 households.

    The Swiss Energypark, founded in 2016 on the initiative of Bern-based BKW Energie AG and the cantons of Bern and Jura, produces electricity in the Juvent wind power plant, the Mont-Soleil solar power plant and the La Goule hydropower plant on the Doubs. The region, which corresponds to the supply area of La Goule, was able to cover 86 percent of its needs with local renewable energy from sustainable sources, according to the announcement. Such a quota is unique in Switzerland at this level.

    In the communication from Energypark and BKW it is pointed out that the supplied region is suitable as a test field for future developments in energy supply. Because the energy mix of wind power, hydropower and solar energy leads to the compensation of underproduction in one of the sectors. The stable high-pressure weather in 2020 increased solar power production, while the yield from hydropower decreased due to the temporary low water of the Doubs.

    The Juvent wind power plant generated almost 85 gigawatt hours in 2020, which is the highest value ever achieved at a location in Switzerland and corresponds to the consumption of around 18,900 households. The forecasts made during construction in 2016 were exceeded by 20 percent.

  • Landis + Gyr informs about new goals

    Landis + Gyr informs about new goals

    On the occasion of an investor's day on Wednesday, Landis + Gyr confirmed the previous outlook for the 2020/21 financial year ending at the end of March. According to its press release , the Zug-based company continues to expect net sales of between 1.3 and 1.4 billion dollars. In addition, it continues to expect an improved EBITDA margin in the second half of the year compared to the first.

    In the first half of the current fiscal year (to the end of September 2020) sales had dropped 27 percent to $ 623.5 million. Customers had suspended or slowed down the installation of meters due to the pandemic. But there have been no major cancellations. The resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Landis + Gyr's second largest UK market is "particularly worrying".

    Landis + Gyr has defined new medium-term goals for the period up to 2023. The company is aiming for "organic sales growth in the low single-digit range". In addition, it is committed to a “progressive” dividend development. The 2019-2022 share buyback program remains suspended. The partnership with Google will accelerate the transition to cloud-based services.

    In addition, Landis + Gyr announces the 100% acquisition of Rhebo , a German provider of cybersecurity solutions. On Monday, the company announced that it is by partnering with one of the largest energy suppliers Britain, EDF has secured a major contract. It stipulates that Landis + Gyr will deliver a further 650,000 of them by June 2025 after the first order of 500,000 intelligent electricity meters of the latest generation.

  • Ecocoach launches load management for charging stations

    Ecocoach launches load management for charging stations

    Ecocoach is now offering e-mobility load management, the technology company from Schwyz informs in a message. The ecoChargingCoach can manage charging stations regardless of their manufacturer, is explained further there. Real estate operators and companies can use the system to reduce the load on their network connections from charging stations and thus save costs.

    In the basic version, the ecoChargingCoach can manage up to ten AC charging stations, writes Ecocoach. In the future, the technology company wants to expand its e-mobility load management to include DC charging stations.

    "The ecoChargingCoach is a particularly future-proof and flexible energy management solution for charging stations", Benjamin Friedrich, Senior Business Area Developer at Ecocoach, is quoted in the press release. The system is compatible with various technologies and with the products of various other providers, explains Friedrich. As a result, the ecoChargingCoach is "universally applicable for residential, industrial and commercial buildings".

  • According to ENSI 2020, nuclear facilities were safe

    According to ENSI 2020, nuclear facilities were safe

    In an initial assessment, ENSI announced that the nuclear power plants (NPP) in Switzerland were “safely operated” in the past year of supervision. The number of reportable incidents in 2020 was slightly below the average of previous years, according to a media release . Despite the pandemic situation, ENSI was present in the NPPs. All systems would have complied with the safety requirements.

    Since pandemic plans were already in place before the coronavirus occurred, the operators were prepared for the current situation. Annual major revisions have been adapted to it. ENSI is convinced that you have nevertheless complied with the legal requirements.

    The Mühleberg NPP has been shut down for good since September 15, 2020. The decommissioning of the research reactor at the University of Basel has now been completed to the point that no more reportable incidents can occur.

    Most of these incidents, eight in total, concerned the Beznau NPP . On December 7th, both reactor blocks were shut down after an inspection required by ENSI and restarted on December 21st. Further clarifications on one aspect are still ongoing.

  • Annual review 2020 of the SVSM

    Annual review 2020 of the SVSM

    You, our members, are much more directly and substantially affected by the corona pandemic. Numerous location and economic promotions have had to experience that years of development work can become practically meaningless within a few weeks because of the lockdown or because of regional easing. Suddenly completely different factors were decisive for shopping, leisure and travel behavior, primarily the question: What is still allowed where? In such a situation – in which, in my view, federalism is reaching its limits – location and economic development can hardly exert any influence. To make matters worse: where the industry is struggling to survive, there is neither time nor energy, let alone money, left over to secure and promote regional location advantages. But right now it is important to think long-term, invest and expand on what has been achieved.

    In these special times, we would like to thank you all the more for your loyalty to our association – even if you could not benefit from all the services to which you are entitled as part of your membership in 2020. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors, UPC Switzerland and the electricity works of the Canton of Zurich EKZ, for their commitment. We very much hope that we can hold a half-day event as a new format in autumn 2021. Our general assembly in spring will also take place virtually this year. We will send you all relevant information and documents in the next few weeks. Of course, we will also keep you up to date on our annual program, including with our newsletter.

  • Energie 360 ° is working on a power-to-gas solution

    Energie 360 ° is working on a power-to-gas solution

    Energie 360 ° and the gas storage company RAG Austria are working on making solar energy available all year round. Both are jointly pursuing the innovative power-to-gas project Underground Sun Conversion – Flexible Storage . It started in December 2020 has a term of two and a half years and is supported by the European Commission promoted . Field tests are already underway at the RAG research site in Pilsbach, Upper Austria.

    In this project, excess renewable energy, such as solar power in summer, is converted into hydrogen, explains Energie 360 ° in a press release . This is then stored together with carbon dioxide in natural underground storage at a depth of over 1000 meters. There, microorganisms combine hydrogen and carbon to form renewable methane gas. This energy can be used in the event of supply gaps, for example in winter. The advantage over pumped storage power plants or batteries lies in the much higher storage capacity and, at the same time, less surface area, according to Energie 360 °.

    In Switzerland, the two companies cooperate with the University of Bern , the University of Applied Sciences in Eastern Switzerland and the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ). "We are working together on the solution to one of the greatest challenges facing the energy system of the future: How do we advance volatile renewable energy sources such as sun and wind and at the same time offer year-round security of supply?", Says Andreas Kunz, Head of Energy Systems at Energie 360 °.

  • Axpo implements alpine solar systems with partners

    Axpo implements alpine solar systems with partners

    The large-scale solar system originally initiated by Axpo on the Muttsee dam is becoming the AlpinSolar joint project between Denner, Axpo and IWB . As everyone said in a press release of the same name, the energy suppliers Axpo and IWB will install and commission the largest alpine solar system in Switzerland in the summer. Almost 5,000 solar modules are to produce around 3.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year on the south-facing dam. Discounter Denner will take it off for 20 years.

    At 2500 meters above sea level, a lot of renewable energy can be generated even in the winter months. Since the system is installed on an existing dam, it is particularly environmentally friendly. This is another reason why AlpinSolar is “a system that the energy transition needs”.

    Nevertheless, “due to the lack of framework conditions, such systems are hardly economically feasible today”, regrets Axpo CEO Christoph Brand. “Nevertheless, we decided, together with strong partners, to implement this lighthouse project” and “to set an example”. "We see the project as an important contribution to the discussion for the upcoming legislative revisions."

    IWB, the energy supplier for the canton of Basel-Stadt, has a 49 percent share in the project. It goes well with the company, says IWB CEO Claus Schmidt, because "the expansion of electricity production from solar energy also in Switzerland" is part of its own strategy.

  • IWB takes a stake in Agro Energie Schwyz

    IWB takes a stake in Agro Energie Schwyz

    IWB continues to grow with renewable energies. According to its own information, it joins the heating network of Agro Energie Schwyz AG ( AES ). Since 2006, it has built a modern network of over 100 kilometers in the Schwyz valley basin with state-of-the-art production facilities. A wood-fired thermal power station , an ORC system and a biogas system supply around 1,500 customers. The aim of AES is to build and operate a regional, independent and CO2-neutral energy supply in the region. The operator also attaches great importance to local added value.

    IWB takes over shares from the largest shareholder, the Profond pension fund. Profond was looking for an investor with proven expertise in heat supply and a credible ecological focus. With this investment, IWB is following its strategy of decarbonising the heat supply, also outside the canton of Basel-Stadt.

    "Agro Energie Schwyz is an innovative, rapidly growing company with a clear focus on renewable energy supply," explains IWB CEO Dr. Claus Schmidt choosing his company. "As the operator of the largest Swiss district heating network, IWB can contribute its vast experience in the heating network and at the same time expand its leading position in renewable heating."

  • Siemens frees the Monte Rosa Hut from lead

    Siemens frees the Monte Rosa Hut from lead

    The 2883 meter high Monte Rosa Hut in the Valais Alps has been equipped by Siemens Switzerland with new batteries to store the self-generated solar power. The new hut, which was inaugurated in 2010 and replaced the old one from 1895, with its modern building services – also from Siemens – is a so-called high-tech hut. In the campaign that has now ended, the 48 old lead batteries with a total weight of 8.6 tons, which had reached the end of their useful life, were replaced by 14 lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP) with a capacity of 215 kilowatt hours , according to a media release. Installation and removal took place in cooperation with Air Zermatt AG .

    The Monte Rosa Hut is largely energy self-sufficient. A photovoltaic system is built into the south side of the hut. There are also thermal solar collectors. All data on building performance such as the solar power generated or the battery power have been fed into the Siemens building navigator since 2010. Because all technical systems are digitized, they can also be controlled remotely.

    The energy self-sufficiency of the hut is to be increased with the new battery solution, according to the Siemens announcement. The generator set for bad weather will also be relieved. With the new system, the energy supply of the Monte Rosa hut should be secured at any time of day and in any weather condition.

  • Schlieren will be electric in the future

    Schlieren will be electric in the future

    The city of Schlieren has purchased its first electric garbage truck. One of the three refuse vehicles in Schlieren has reached its useful life and needs to be replaced, according to a message . Since the city has been relying on e-mobility when purchasing new vehicles for reasons of sustainability since 2020, an electric model was also selected for the new refuse vehicle. This is being built by Designwerk Products AG in Winterthur.

    At its meeting on January 13, the city council approved the expenditure of 775,000 francs. The municipal parliament approved the budget for the procurement of the refuse vehicle on December 16, 2020.

    According to the announcement, the first electric refuse vehicle in Schlieren offers several advantages in operation. On the one hand there is the CO2 reduction. But the operating costs also pay off. Because the energy costs for electricity are much cheaper compared to diesel. The maintenance and repair costs are also less expensive than with diesel, because there are fewer wearing parts with electric motors than with burn-out motors. In addition, there were no HVF charges – the heavy vehicle charge – or road traffic charges. With a service life of ten years, the electric vehicle is therefore much cheaper than a diesel-powered vehicle, according to the city council's justification.

  • BKW renews substations in Oberaargau

    BKW renews substations in Oberaargau

    BKW is renewing its aging substations in the Bernese communities of Huttwil, Niederbipp and Bannwil, the energy service provider informed in a message . The reason given there is the increasing energy demand in Oberaargau. Various companies are planning to expand their capacities here, writes BKW.

    BKW plans to invest around CHF 11 million in the renewal of the three substations. The work will be carried out jointly with the subsidiaries AEK and onyx , as the systems also supply the areas of these subsidiaries, according to the announcement. The areas around Niederbipp, Densingen, Bannwil, Herzogenbuchsee and Huttwil are to be equipped with “state-of-the-art network technology” by 2023, writes BKW.

    The work in Huttwil is about to be completed, the energy service provider continues in the message. Here the 50 kilovolt system was renewed and housed in a new building. Work in Niederbipp has been going on since August last year. The old 16 kilovolt system will be replaced by a more powerful new one. A new 50 kilovolt switchgear is to be installed in Bannwil.

  • ETH model paves the way for the energy transition

    ETH model paves the way for the energy transition

    At the Energy Science Center ( ESC ) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ), an interdisciplinary research group is working on the Nexus-e platform. It is intended to help answer the fundamental questions that the energy transition that has been adopted will raise for politics, business, science and society now and in the years to come. The project is supported by the Federal Office for Energy .

    As a video from ETH shows, Nexus-e is supposed to map the entire complex Swiss electricity system. “In order to find solutions for the future, you need more flexibility,” project manager Marius Schwarz is quoted in an article by the ETH. "With Nexus-e we want to provide a platform with which we can model different scenarios and thus facilitate the transformation of the energy sector in the coming decades."

    This transparent platform is supposed to be a kind of toolbox. Its flexible modules are intended to represent the Swiss economy as a whole and the electricity market as well as the electricity market, investments in decentralized and centralized energy systems, network security and network expansion.

    It also serves as a modeling infrastructure that is continuously used in research and teaching. This will make it a modeling platform for interdisciplinary research within the university. But it should also be used outside as a test environment and further developed. "We are therefore open to new collaborations in the academic field, but also with political decision-makers or representatives from industry," said ESC director Christian Schaffner.

  • Lidl is planning branches for the future

    Lidl is planning branches for the future

    Lidl Switzerland had already committed itself in 2014 to make the operation of its branches more sustainable, informs the retail company in a message . After all, the energy consumption of 150 Swiss Lidl branches corresponds to that of a medium-sized city in the country. The savings potential is correspondingly large.

    New branches are to be implemented as early as this year with the help of an innovative energy concept, the communication further explains. "It is very important to us that our future locations are future-proof and sustainable with regard to building materials, energy consumption and technology", Reto Ruch, Chief Real Estate Officer of Lidl Switzerland, is quoted there. Lidl Switzerland is working with Empa to develop this energy concept.

    In a first step, the two partners will analyze the energy consumption of the existing branches. As a result, optimization measures should then be derived from this. At the same time, Empa and Lidl want to test alternative energy systems with the help of computer simulations. "Our goal is to help Lidl Switzerland with our research work to further improve sustainability, continue to reduce emissions in the future and optimize energy management," explains Empa researcher Curdin Derungs in the press release.

  • BKW takes over German engineering company

    BKW takes over German engineering company

    The BKW Group has strengthened its engineering network in Germany with the takeover of R&P Ruffert GmbH , the energy service provider from Bern informs in a message . The company, which was founded in Limburg in 1976, has additional locations in Erfurt, Halle, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. In addition, the engineering company specializing in structural engineering has project offices in Berlin, Koblenz, Frankfurt, Leipzig and Nuremberg.

    The annual turnover of R&P Ruffert GmbH is put at a “lower double-digit million amount”. No information is given there about the purchase price. The approval of the takeover by the German antitrust authorities is currently pending.

    After the takeover, R&P Ruffert GmbH is to be incorporated into the BKW subsidiary BKW Engineering . BKW informs that the management will remain with the previous owners and managing directors. With the takeover, she wants to "expand the competencies of her network and strengthen her position in the competition with multidisciplinary market leaders", says the press release.

  • Plug'n Roll builds e-charging network for the canton of Zurich

    Plug'n Roll builds e-charging network for the canton of Zurich

    Following a public tender, the canton of Zurich decided in favor of the e-mobility provider from Repower as the installer and later operator of the charging infrastructure on the canton's own property. According to a media release , the vehicle fleet in the canton of Zurich is to be converted to non-fossil vehicles by 2030.

    Plug'n Roll of Repower has signed with the Canton of a framework agreement. Because it has not yet been established exactly how many charging stations will have to be built for electric vehicles. The partners expect 880 charging stations to be required by 2025. According to the announcement, a total of 765 of these are to be set up with a charging capacity of three to 22 kilowatts. There are also 115 fast charging stations with a charging capacity of 22 to 150 kilowatts. In the canton of Zurich, a total of 1,000 to 1,450 charging stations are expected to be required by 2030.

    Plug'n Roll should not just build up the charging network. The Zurich government council has awarded the contract for the procurement and management of the charging stations. The overall order, which is to be fulfilled by 2025, includes delivery, assembly, commissioning, operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of the stations as well as the administration of the energy billing, according to the message from Repower.

  • Biomass plant produces electricity and gas

    Biomass plant produces electricity and gas

    A team of researchers from the Group of Energy Materials ( GEM ) in Sion, which is part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ), conducted a two-year study on the optimal configuration of biomass systems. As EPFL is now reporting , they have developed a method by means of which local biomass flows can be integrated into power grids and gas pipelines.

    Your system can be used to generate and store electricity and natural gas. It can be particularly useful in conjunction with other local but weather-dependent renewable energy systems such as solar panels and wind farms by closing any gaps in electricity production. Their models were calculated on the basis of a Danish and an Italian case study.

    “Our goal was to develop an effective approach to grid balancing that relies more on renewable energies,” explains study leader Maria Perez Fortes. “Electricity is consumed when the supply is high (to store it as gas) and generated when the supply is low.” This is why the team decided to use reversible solid oxide cells, “the only technology that seamlessly between Can switch electricity and gas generation ".

    The GEM scientists specialize in this technology, which can both store electricity as methane (Power2Gas) and convert the methane back into electricity – with high yields in both directions. As stated in the communication, their method could optimize electricity and gas distribution networks and their coupling, ensure a continuous power supply and enable utilities to manage their systems more efficiently.

  • Frauenfeld gets wood power plant

    Frauenfeld gets wood power plant

    The energy and mobility service provider Energie 360 ° from Zurich and the Swiss company Zucker AG are jointly building a wood-fired thermal power station in Frauenfeld. From June 2022, it will supply electricity for around 8,000 households as well as heat for the sugar factory and the Frauenfeld West heating network. For this purpose, the two companies will found Bioenergie Frauenfeld AG. In a press release of the same name, they emphasize that this wood-fired thermal power station is "climate-positive".

    Wood gas is obtained from wood in a thermochemical process. This gas drives engines that produce renewable electricity from it. This thermochemical process produces recyclable biochar. This means that around 9,000 tons of CO2 stored in the wood would not be released each year, but instead permanently withdrawn from the atmosphere.

    The heart of the power plant will be supplied and installed by the Tyrolean company Syncraft. According to the press release, their proprietary and patented technology is one of the most efficient in the industry.

    "On the one hand, our company wants to diversify," says Guido Stäger, CEO of Schweizer Zucker AG, "on the other hand, we are making our production processes more sustainable. From 2022, the wood-fired power station will contribute to both goals. "

  • Bluefactory implements an innovative energy and water concept

    Bluefactory implements an innovative energy and water concept

    The Bluefactory Friborg-Freiburg AG will implement an exemplary concept at the location of its low-carbon innovation quarter in the middle of Freiburg from spring. It is supposed to control their energy and water flows. She developed it together with the energy supplier Groupe E and SINEF AG , which focuses on water, energy and industrial pipelines. According to a statement from Groupe E, the first phase of implementation is estimated at CHF 11 million. The concept can also be used in other quarters.

    For this purpose, the supply networks to be created should optimally use the local natural resources – Pilettes source, geothermal energy, sun – and the facilities located in the vicinity such as water storage tanks, sewer pipes, cable ducts and the district heating network. All of this is aimed at a circular economy. It is intended to reduce the district's energetic and ecological footprint and promote biodiversity. Last but not least, users should also feel comfortable with it.

    Groupe E will implement an energy concept based on the principle of heat exchange at low temperatures. The thermal energy comes directly from the ground, from the Pilettes source, as well as from rainwater and sewage. Peak loads are covered by the nearby Freiburg district heating system. Photovoltaic systems provide the daily electricity.

    The concept for water management developed by SINEF AG enables the reintroduction of a more natural water cycle in the city center. Rainwater, for example, is collected and wastewater is cleaned on site. Collected water is used for flushing toilets, cleaning and irrigation. Urine-based fertilizer is produced on site.

  • EZL increases the proportion of biogas

    EZL increases the proportion of biogas

    Energie Zürichsee Linth introduced a proportion of biogas in its basic gas supply years ago, the utility company informed in a press release . Now EZL has increased this share to 20 percent biogas, it says there. For the customer, however, this is not associated with a price increase. He simply gets “an ecologically better product” with the same heat output.

    In the catchment area of EZL, customers could also “drive in a particularly environmentally friendly way,” explains the utility company in the press release. All filling stations here offer 100 percent biogas. At a current price of CHF 1.05 per liter, customers would benefit “twice”, writes EZL. On the one hand, the price is around 30 percent below that of gasoline. And on the other hand, they are CO2-free on the road with biogas.

    EZL operates its own plant for processing biogas at the Obersee wastewater treatment plant in Schmerikon SG. According to the company, the biogas produced there is enough for more than 500 vehicles with an annual mileage of around 15,000 kilometers a year.

  • City of Zurich liquidates Fernwärme Zürich AG

    City of Zurich liquidates Fernwärme Zürich AG

    The waste incineration plant Josefstrasse has reached the end of its service life and will therefore be shut down on March 31, the civil engineering and waste disposal department of the city of Zurich informed in a message . The area managed by the Josefstrasse plant will in future be supplied with district heating from the Hagenholz plant via a new connection line, it said.

    The Josefstrasse cogeneration plant has been operated by the City of Zurich together with Energie Baden-Württemberg AG ( EnBW ) since 2011. The municipal service department ERZ Disposal + Recycling Zurich was responsible for operations. EnBW was responsible for the procurement of waste in neighboring countries. The two partners founded Fernwärme Zürich AG (FWZ) for the joint operation of the waste-to-energy plant.

    With the closure of the Josefstrasse plant, the two partners are now ending their cooperation. As previously contractually agreed, the City of Zurich is therefore buying up EnBW's 40 percent stake in FWZ. The notification puts the purchase price at 480,000 francs. Following the complete takeover by the City of Zurich, the FWZ is to be liquidated.

  • Aventron and HIAG found solar company

    Aventron and HIAG found solar company

    Aventron and HIAG team up: Their new joint company, HIAG Solar AG, wants to expand the production of solar power on the roofs of HIAG properties in the long term. HIAG holds 49 percent of the joint venture, aventron 51 percent. Aventron CEO Antoine Millioud finds an “optimal connection”: “HIAG has very large roof areas in Switzerland and aventron has proven expertise in the planning, implementation and operation of high-performance solar systems.”

    As stated in a press release from HIAG, HIAG Solar AG wants to become a major solar power producer in Switzerland in the medium term and gradually expand its capacity. 65,000 square meters of space are currently available for photovoltaic modules. They should generate around 10 mega-watt peak power.

    The aim is to produce 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. This corresponds to a CO2 equivalent saving of 4.2 million tons. The first four systems are already being planned. They should start operating this year and next.

  • Repower is investing in German wind farms with partners

    Repower is investing in German wind farms with partners

    At the beginning of the year, Repower expanded its portfolio of wind turbines in Germany, the Graubünden energy supplier informed in apress release . Specifically, Repower has taken over the Berlar wind farm in North Rhine-Westphalia. The plant with five turbines and a total output of 7.5 megawatts is expected to produce around 14.4 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. The notification does not provide any information about the purchase price.

    According to the announcement, the Graubünden energy supplier already operates a number of wind farms in Italy and Germany. The new acquisition is to be integrated into the German Repartner Wind GmbH. The company is wholly owned by Bündner Repartner Produktions AG , which is 51 percent majority owned by Repower. The trucks hold the largest minority share with 10.39 percent.

    Via Repartner Produktions AG, Repower wants to offer its shareholders “access to diversified, renewable electricity production”, according to the announcement. In addition to Repower and LKW, other Swiss energy companies are involved in Repartner Produktions AG, including Eniva, WWZ and the electricity works of the Canton of Zurich (EKZ).

    “This stake is an absolute gain for LKW,” said Gerald Marxer, CEO of LKW, in a separate announcement from LKW on the takeover of the wind farm. "On the one hand, we can increase our own production and, on the other hand, we are investing in renewable production technologies in accordance with our strategy."

  • Aare power plant in Klingnau generates more electricity

    Aare power plant in Klingnau generates more electricity

    The Aare power plant in Klingnau produced a total of 202 million kilowatt hours of electricity last year, according to a media release . This corresponds roughly to the consumption of 45,000 four-person households. Production was higher than in the previous year due to slightly higher discharge volumes. At that time, the power plant had produced 186 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

    The Aare power plant in Klingnau is 60 percent owned by the Baden-based energy company Axpo . The remaining shares belong to AEW Energie AG , based in Aarau. The annual costs borne by the partners in 2020 totaled 9.7 million francs, which is slightly below the costs of the previous year (10 million francs). The production costs were around 4.78 cents per kilowatt hour.

    The Board of Directors of Aarekraftwerk Klingnau AG has approved the annual report and the accounts for the 2019/20 financial year, according to the information, at the beginning of the week for the attention of the General Meeting. This will take place on March 12th.

  • Cantonal court rejects objections to the wind farm

    Cantonal court rejects objections to the wind farm

    The Cantonal Court of Neuchâtel gives the green light to the Montagne de Buttes wind farm . It rejected all objections to the Verrivent SA project. The plaintiffs can now appeal.

    In an identical media release, wind farm operator Verrivent and its half owner, the energy supplier Groupe E Greenwatt , welcome the positive signal. "The decision shows how important the Montagne de Buttes project is for the future of an entire region," Verrivent Chairman of the Board of Directors Alain Sapin is quoted in the press release. The other half of the share capital of Verrivent SA is held by Services Industriels de Genève (SIG). It is planned to open up the share capital to the community in the long term.

    According to the notification, this judicial decision follows a decision of the Neuchâtel government council. In May 2019, he dealt with all objections to the public edition of the cantonal map. The wind farm is part of this plan. In addition, the canton decided on December 28, 2020 to reject all appeals filed in June 2016 against building permit applications in the three affected municipalities of Val-de-Travers, Les Verrières and La Côte-aux-Fées.

    The Montagne de Buttes wind farm with 19 wind turbines is to be built on this site. With an annual electricity production of around 100 million kilowatt hours, it should cover 10 percent of the current annual electricity consumption in the canton and save 180,000 tons of CO2 per year. The investments amount to 140 million francs.

  • Winners of the Watt d'Or energy award have been announced

    Winners of the Watt d'Or energy award have been announced

    The Federal Office of Energy awarded its Watt d'Or energy prize for the 14th time on January 7th. The award is intended to publicize exceptional achievements in the energy sector. But there is no prize money.

    The prize was awarded in four categories. In the Energy Technologies category, Adaptricity emerged as the winner. The spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) is developing software that facilitates the planning and monitoring of distribution networks. In doing so, it helps to make the grids fit for the future of energy.

    In the renewable energies category, ABB and Romande Energie won a power plant in the Alps. On the Lac des Toules reservoir in Valais, Romande Energie operates a hydropower plant that also supplies solar power. The facility is unique for this height. ABB was able to successfully solve the technical challenges encountered during construction.

    In the energy-efficient mobility category, a joint project by the companies Hydrospider , Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, H2 Energy and the H2 Mobility Switzerland association emerged as the winner. The partners want to set up the world's first commercial cycle for renewable hydrogen in Switzerland. This is intended to facilitate the use of hydrogen vehicles.

    There were two winners this year in the building and space category. On the one hand, the Umwelt Arena Schweiz from Spreitenbach AG and René Schmid Architekten AG have won. They convinced with a development in Männedorf ZH. Walter Schmid, energy pioneer and president of the Umwelt Arena Schweiz foundation, and his son, the architect René Schmid from René Schmid Architekten AG, rely on energy self-sufficiency in the association. Specifically, renewable electricity is produced with photovoltaic systems and wind energy systems. Half of this is used by the tenants. The rest is transported to a power-to-gas plant, converted into renewable gas and stored in the natural gas network for electricity and heat production in winter.

    On the other hand, St.Galler Mettiss AG and Beat Kegel won in this category. You have converted an old building into a passive house. In doing so, they relied on a new concept, which enabled the project to be implemented cheaply. The new tenant of the building is the University of St.Gallen .

  • SUSI Partners acquires majority in Genera Group

    SUSI Partners acquires majority in Genera Group

    The Zug-based fund manager SUSI Partners has bought a majority stake in the Italian energy service provider Genera Group through its SUSI Energy Transition Fund. According to a press release from SUSI Partners, this is the first equity investment in the energy efficiency sector. It follows on from a longstanding business relationship between the two parties.

    Genera Holding is headquartered in Rome. It is primarily active in Italy, but is expanding increasingly, also outside of Europe. The participation of SUSI and the associated long-term partnership guarantee financing security for the further expansion of the "already considerable project pipeline".

    The SUSI Energy Transition Fund received capital commitments of 300 million euros in the first closing in July 2020. He invests in sustainable energy infrastructure to finance the energy transition.

  • Battery project aims to make sea transport more sustainable

    Battery project aims to make sea transport more sustainable

    The Current Direct project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport by up to 482,000 tons of CO2 equivalents annually, explains Blackstone Resources in a press release . The Zug-based battery expert is one of a total of 13 partners who launched the Energy as a Service project. The European Union supports Current Direct through its Horizon 2020 research program.

    Blackstone Resources is contributing lithium-ion battery cells produced using 3D printing to the project. According to the announcement, state-of-the-art materials are used in their production, which reduce the costs of production. In addition, the materials used can be recycled.

    Overall, Current Direct aims to halve the cost of battery-powered ship propulsion systems. The Energy as a Service model also relieves ship owners of their capital costs. Current Direct thus offers “energy companies, institutional investors and state actors a mechanism to participate in the green transformation of the European merchant and passenger fleet,” writes the Zug-based battery expert.