The first 15 per cent of Madrisa Solar feeds electricity into the grid. According to a press release, the first 500 solar tables are fitted with 3,000 bifacial solar modules. The electricity will be used to power the neighbouring Klosters-Madrisa mountain railways.
The solar power plant at 2,000 metres above Klosters Dorf is set to achieve an output of 11 megawatt peak when fully built on an area of 150,000 square metres with around 20,000 solar modules. Of the 17 gigawatt hours of electricity, 40 per cent will be generated in the winter months between October and March. Commissioning of the entire plant is scheduled for autumn 2027. By autumn 2026, 50 to 60 percent of the output should already be available.
Madrisa Solar AG is a joint venture between Repower, EKZ and the municipality of Klosters, each of which holds a one-third stake. Madrisa Solar is the first solar power plant of the national solar express to feed electricity into the grid.
POLIZERO’s final report takes an unusually clear look at Swiss climate policy. The next ten years are crucial for the economy, energy supply and society. The research team modeled numerous paths. The phase-out of fossil fuel technologies, a massive expansion of district heating and solar capacity and the rapid introduction of electromobility form the foundation for the net-zero target.
A look at Europe shows that, especially in uncertain times, targeted harmonization with EU standards will become a success factor. In particular, integration into a common energy market and harmonized regulations strengthen security of supply and accelerate innovation.
From strategy to scaling The window for far-reaching decisions is closing. From 2035, the focus will shift to scaling up climate-friendly technologies. Model calculations show that wind and bioenergy, synthetic fuels and CO₂ capture from industry and waste will take center stage. Switzerland can reduce its dependence on energy imports in winter and at the same time facilitate industrial change through investments and mandatory requirements, for example for the replacement of old heating systems.
Support measures and innovation incentives act as start-up aid, but will be supplemented in a targeted manner by stricter regulatory instruments and the expansion of emissions trading. Steady but adaptable policies remain necessary to absorb geopolitical uncertainties and technological surprises.
Flexible implementation, clear perspective The study recommends a balanced approach instead of radical individual steps. If Switzerland succeeds in combining its own credible initiatives with consistent EU coordination, the chances of achieving the net zero target are intact. It remains crucial that any strategy remains flexible. The faster world markets and research change, the more important adaptability becomes.
Achieving climate neutrality does not require a perfect recipe, but rather a clearly defined direction and political perseverance. The decisive steps must be taken now. For a Switzerland that will help shape Europe in terms of climate protection and innovation.
The City of Zurich announced back in 2024 that it was looking for new partnerships for Energie 360°. After withdrawing from the municipal heat supply, the company is increasingly focusing on projects outside the city area. In order to secure its long-term future, the city conducted market research with external support and spoke to several interested parties.
It is now clear that Zurich and EKZ are conducting exclusive negotiations regarding a possible takeover. According to the press release, the talks are intended to clarify whether the merger of the two energy companies can create added value for the canton and the city.
Synergies for the canton’s energy future EKZ has extensive experience in the construction and operation of complex energy infrastructures and already supplies 100 percent renewable energy in the electricity sector. A merger with Energie 360° would enable the canton of Zurich to manage large parts of its energy supply from a single source in future.
For Energie 360°, integration into EKZ would mean the consistent continuation of its transformation. Away from fossil gas and towards renewable energy networks, biogas and charging infrastructure for electromobility. This would see the canton of Zurich take a significant step towards net zero in a national comparison.
Observers see this bundling as an opportunity to better coordinate regional energy production, grid infrastructure and security of supply. At the same time, the planned takeover offers the opportunity to deploy resources and expertise more efficiently in an increasingly fragmented market.
Decision expected by the end of 2026 Two bodies will decide whether the merger actually goes ahead. The municipal council on the city side and the Board of Directors on the EKZ side. The negotiations should be completed by the end of 2026.
The sale would be a significant strategic step for Zurich. It would involve the disposal of an important energy company, but also the opportunity to unite behind the goal of decarbonization in the canton. If the takeover is successful, an energy player would emerge in the Zurich area that consistently relies on renewable sources for electricity, heat and mobility, thus setting the course for a climate-neutral future.
StWZ Energie AG and Primeo Energie want to jointly create a sustainable district heating supply in the lower Wiggertal valley. To this end, the energy service providers have founded the joint company Fernwärme Unteres Wiggertal AG (FUWI) as of 19 September 2025. The aim is to combine “infrastructure, customer proximity and energy expertise” in order to further develop the heat supply in a climate-friendly way.
The new network is to be operated using waste heat from the erzo-KVA waste incineration plant and from existing decentralised StWZ energy centres. Existing heating networks from StWZ in Zofingen and Primeo Energie in Oftringen are to be integrated.
The first households are to be supplied with low-CO2 heat energy from the new network from summer 2027. Two phases are planned for the expansion. Phase one is to begin in 2026 from the erzo-KVA waste incineration plant and run towards Oftringen Süd and Zofingen. The second phase will follow in 2030 at the earliest and will depend on the planned new construction of the waste incineration plant. This will require the consent of the people of Oftringen for the zoning of a required piece of land. If both construction phases go into operation, 10,000 households could be supplied with heat and 30,000 tonnes of CO2 could be saved.
Michael Schneider, Managing Director of Primeo Wärme AG, sees the energy revolution as a heating revolution. This step lays a “foundation stone for a long-term sustainable heat supply in the lower Wiggertal”. “By combining regional energy sources with modern technology, we are reducing CO2 emissions in a targeted manner and expanding the supply of reliable, decarbonised heat,” Paul Marbach, Managing Director of StWZ Energie AG, is quoted as saying.
The Bernese energy supplier BKW is testing new solutions for supplying electricity from renewable energies. According to a press release, a three-year pilot project will provide real-time data on electricity demand and consumption in the Mittelhäusern district of the municipality of Köniz.
The choice of test area was the result of a feasibility study commissioned by the municipality of Köniz. The test focussed on supplying electricity to the 950 residents of the municipality. In the contiguous supply area, the electricity supply is to be realised using renewable energies. After the test phase, all energy customers will have the opportunity to obtain 100 per cent renewable energy, which is more environmentally friendly and cheaper than before, according to the press release.
Mittelhäusern could become the first Swiss village to cover its entire energy requirements, i.e. electricity, heat, mobility and processes, from renewable sources, according to BKW. However, a separate follow-up project is planned for the areas of heat and mobility.
The central aim of the study is to provide BKW Power Grid with data and experience with real-time sensor and actuator technology in a practical experiment. The aim is to ensure a stable and efficient power supply at all times. As a result, the understanding of an intelligent overall electrical system (smart grid) should be improved.
The Clinique Valmont in Montreux has been equipped with a climate-friendly heat supply system by BRUGG Pipes. It consists of a Siemens air heat pump, which is connected to the clinic via a district heating pipe, BRUGG Pipes explains in a press release. The heating capacity of the system is estimated at 321 kilowatts. With the new sustainable heat supply, the clinic, which is part of the Swiss Medical Network, will be able to avoid around 263 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.
BRUGG Pipes took an unusual approach to the delivery of the district heating pipe. “As space was limited and an incline had to be negotiated between the unloading and installation sites, we used a helicopter to transport the four sections, each weighing around 700 kilograms,” said René Hilty, Project Manager Specialist Construction Planning at the company, which is part of BRUUG GROUP AG in Brugg, in the press release. The Siemens heat pump even weighs 2.8 tonnes. It will be transported by a Super Puma helicopter on 30 September.
CircularHub, knowledge and exchange platform for circular construction, invites you to the MasterClass Circularity in the construction and real estate sector on 2 October 2025, as detailed in an announcement. The aim is to support specialists and managers in actively transforming the resource-intensive construction sector and contribute to achieving Switzerland’s net-zero targets.
During the event, the role of circularity in sustainability and the strengths of circular design strategies and business models, best practice examples and existing Swiss approaches will be discussed. Participants will receive individual preparation by means of a briefing document and an optional follow-up telephone call with CircularHub specialists. “Solutions for a circular turnaround have long been on the table. Now it’s a matter of putting the knowledge, skills and will into practice – and that’s exactly what the MasterClass is for,” says Marloes Fischer, CEO of CircularHub and keynote speaker at the event. In addition to the technical content, the MasterClass enables active networking between specialists and managers, who can exchange ideas with experts and decision-makers and gain inspiration.
According to CircularHub, the Swiss construction and property industry, which has high CO2 emissions and high resource consumption, is facing profound changes. The platform is therefore endeavouring to support industry players with innovative solutions and transform the construction industry towards a circular economy.
To date, many construction projects and urban developments have been delayed due to the rigid direct application of the Federal Inventory of Sites worthy of Protection (ISOS). In Zurich in particular, thousands of apartments are blocked, as the example of Brunaupark shows. The Federal Council wants to simplify and speed up the processing and approval of residential projects with a new regulation. In future, the ISOS requirements will only apply directly in cases where the townscape is actually affected. This will significantly reduce the number of complex procedures and numerous projects can be realized more quickly.
In future, cantons and municipalities will be given more leeway and clear boundaries as to when direct application of ISOS is really necessary. The conservation objectives of the inventory will be formulated more openly, which will enable inward settlement development while still protecting building culture.
Solar installations are easier to approve The new measures also make it easier to install solar installations on new buildings. In future, an ISOS review will only be required for existing buildings. The federal government is thus taking account of the requirements of the energy transition and strengthening planning and legal certainty for future-oriented construction projects.
Consensus at the round table The reform was developed at a broad-based round table with representatives from the federal government, cantons, cities, municipalities, business and civil society. The regulatory adjustments are to be made by fall 2026. At the same time, the processes for applying the ISOS inventory will be improved so that conflicts can be identified and resolved at an early stage.
Prominent critics and supporters from politics and heritage protection welcome the new regulations. It is a sensible compromise between protection and development. Direct application remains possible for important monuments, but will no longer prevent important innovation projects in future.
New momentum for residential construction The new rules give cantons and municipalities the necessary flexibility to combine resource protection and building culture. Residential construction projects such as Brunaupark could be approved and realized much more quickly in future. The Federal Office of Culture, Department of the Environment and Department of Economic Affairs have been tasked with implementing the new principles in order to address the increased demand for housing and the challenges of the energy transition in a holistic manner.
Zurich City Council has applied to the municipal council for a framework credit of CHF 20 million. According to a press release, the credit is to be used for the expansion of free-standing large-scale battery storage facilities operated by Elektrizitätswerk der Stadt Zürich(ewz).
The independently operated systems are used to store large amounts of energy, such as that generated by renewable sources like solar or wind energy. In addition to the existing power plants, the large-scale storage facilities can feed energy into the grid at peak times and thus contribute to the stability of the energy system and security of supply. An important contribution can be made here, particularly in view of the requirements of increasing electrification, such as the switch to electric vehicles and heat pumps.
According to the press release, the city council can approve ewz projects independently within this framework credit and thus significantly shorten decision-making processes. For ewz, this means that even larger projects in highly competitive business areas can be handled swiftly and remain competitive.
The new factory deserves to be called intelligent, as its construction control is linked to a digital twin via sensor data, writes EuroTube. In this way, material flows, processes and CO2 emissions can be continuously optimised during construction. The factory, which is set up in a few standard containers, can also be moved and flexibly set up along infrastructure projects.
At the IPZ, the Smart Mobile Factory will not only produce components for DemoTube, but will also be available to other researchers and start-ups who want to develop and test their own technologies directly on an active construction site. To this end, the EuroTube Foundation has launched the Real Laboratory for Infrastructure Construction educational programme. “As a research partner of the Innovation Park Zurich, we are proud to support projects, start-ups and companies in the development of new products for the transition to sustainable mobility infrastructures,” said Antoine Juge, Managing Director of the EuroTube Foundation, in the press release.
The Zurich-based company Integrale Planung GmbH(Intep) has launched a new emissions tracker designed to make it much easier for SMEs to get started with carbon footprinting, according to a press release. The web-based tool also visualises the results and enables a multi-year comparison. The aim is to make progress clearly visible and measurable.
The Emission Tracker is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and covers all three scopes, including indirect emissions along the value chain. The emission factors have been scientifically validated and are updated regularly. Activity and emissions data that Intep was able to collect during its project work also enables a simplified calculation methodology using industry averages.
The visualised results provide an overview of the main sources of emissions, from energy supply to expenditure and investment. A PDF report can be used for communication and also offers practical tips for reducing emissions. With the Emission Tracker Plus, companies can also receive an additional two hours of personalised advice from Intep experts.
“SMEs in particular often lack the financial resources, the right tools and the necessary expertise,” explains Dr Lisa Winter, Managing Director at Intep Berlin. “With the Emission Tracker, we provide them with a low-threshold introduction to greenhouse gas balancing.” Associations, municipalities and large companies can also benefit by acquiring licences for their SME network as part of the Emission Tracker partnership.
A new border bridge has been spanning the Oder near Küstrin since last year. It is held in place by a network arch with a span of 130 metres and 88 carbon girders. According to a recently published Empapress release, these carbon tensioning cables were developed by Carbo-Link, an Empa spin-off from Fehraltorf. The carbon carriers are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).
This innovative material not only enables flexible processing, but also saves a large amount of carbon dioxide that would be released by conventional steel constructions. The use of carbon fibre beams significantly reduces the dead weight compared to conventional flat steel hangers. Around 500 tonnes of steel and 1350 tonnes of reinforced concrete were saved in the construction.
A major advantage of the new suspension cables is their high tensile strength and lower fatigue than steel. Most of the fatigue tests were carried out by a team from Empa’s Structural Engineering department and confirmed the necessary fatigue strength of the new CFRP material. “We have thus created the basis for a new generation of filigree network arch bridges with carbon hangers as load-bearing elements,” Giovanni Terrasi, Head of Empa’s Mechanical Systems Engineering department, is quoted as saying in the press release.
Visually, the new materials offer design freedom, as the Oder bridge shows. Carbon girders have already been used in other bridge constructions, but the special feature of the Oder bridge is that it is being used for the first time for heavy goods railway transport. Trains can pass over it at a speed of 120 kilometres per hour. The bridge has been honoured with both the German Bridge Construction Award and the British Bridges International Award.
Based on the results of the third AXA Mobility Survey,AXA Switzerland warns that dwindling interest in electric cars could jeopardise the mobility turnaround. According to a statement from the insurance company headquartered in Winterthur, the figures generally give reason to speak of a trend reversal for the automotive market: Between 2023 and 2025, the proportion of those planning to buy a car rose by 12 per cent to 34 per cent. At the same time, only 24 per cent are considering an electric car; in 2023, this was an option for 34 per cent. The underlying representative survey was conducted in May 2025 in cooperation with the Sotomo research institute in Zurich.
According to the study, electric mobility is currently rejected by 30 per cent of respondents, compared to 25 per cent in 2023. The growing reservations relate to range, price and charging options. According to the press release, the used car market for e-cars continues to lag behind that for combustion engines. The reasons for this are concerns about the condition of the battery and the rapid pace of technological development. At the same time, the reputation of electric cars has fallen by 9 per cent in the past year. “Despite these obvious difficulties in getting electric cars accepted, only a minority of 38 per cent are still in favour of greater political support for the drive technology,” Sotomo Director Michael Hermann is quoted as saying.
Regardless of the drive technology, AXA is observing that German makes are the undisputed leaders in the wake of the upturn in the automotive market; Chinese makes, particularly BYD, are catching up. Electric cars from the USA are losing popularity.
The survey also asked what the population thinks of autonomous driving: Scepticism prevails here, mainly due to safety concerns and possible cyber attacks. The majority of car owners are concerned about the misuse of their vehicle data, according to the survey.
Adelboden now has its first direct current fast-charging station for electric cars. According to a press release, the station at Licht- und Wasserwerk Adelboden AG(LWA) at Dorfstrasse 36 has a capacity of 50 to 100 kilowatts. This means that electric cars can be charged within 30 to 60 minutes. LWA now offers a total of 20 public charging points at six locations in Adelboden.
LWA sees the fast charging station as a milestone for sustainable mobility in Adelboden. “Every charging break is an invitation to explore Adelboden’s village centre,” says Pascal von Allmen, Managing Director of LWA, in the press release. This benefits not only car drivers, but also local businesses.
At the post office in the village of Kaltenbach, which belongs to the municipality of Wagenhausen, surplus solar power from the summer months can in future be utilised in winter. This will be made possible by a SeasON demonstration system in the new post office delivery centre in Kaltenbach, Matica AG announced in a press release. The thermochemical process developed by the company in collaboration with Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts utilises caustic soda for the loss-free storage of electricity and waste heat.
When the electricity is stored, water is removed from the caustic soda solution and transferred to a separate tank. Concentrated caustic solution and separate water can then be stored at room temperature. If the stored energy is to be utilised, the concentrated caustic solution is diluted again with the separated water. The resulting mixing heat is supplemented by condensation heat. It is generated by vaporising the water in the closed system with the help of low-temperature heat from a heat exchanger.
“For us and the team at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, the realisation of the project in Kaltenbach is another important milestone on the way to the market launch of our innovative over-seasonal energy storage system SeasON,” said Matica CEO Marc Lüthi in the press release. “The experience gained from building the system, installing it and analysing the operating phase is essential for the efficient further development of our pioneering solution.”
The Wagenhausen-based company installed its first demonstration plant in Frauenfeld in 2024. A third system is planned for spring 2026 in a housing estate in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Energie Thun AG officially began the construction of a new fish ladder in the Selve Thun Aarewerke with a ground-breaking ceremony on 1 September. The preliminary construction work had already started in January 2025. The new fish ladder with two entrances will enable improved fish migration. Commissioning is scheduled for March 2028. The project is being financed via the grid surcharge fund, which is fed via a surcharge on the electricity price.
The construction was necessary because the damming of the Aare at the Aaare works by a flap weir is hindering undisturbed fish migration. There is currently only one entrance in the tailwater at the little-used power plant 94.
Energie Thun submitted the project application back in 2013 after the need to restore fish passability was recognised as part of the recertification of the Aare power plants with the naturemade star environmental label. The Office for Water and Waste (AWA) approved the early restoration in 2014. This was followed by several years of preliminary examination and development of the construction project. The overall construction decision was made in 2022 and tenders were invited in 2024.
BKW is emphasising its growth ambitions in Germany by acquiring Munich-based Südvolt GmbH and its 20 employees, according to a press release. The Bern-based energy and infrastructure group is thus entering the German market for balancing energy and system services. Südvolt is a flexibility provider with access to all four German transmission system operators and thus to the balancing energy market.
The company flexibly interconnects energy generation plants and industrial consumers in its virtual power plant in order to keep the grid stable. Its customer portfolio includes major and industrial customers from energy-intensive sectors as well as municipal utilities.
As BKW emphasises in the press release, this acquisition is part of its Solutions 2030 strategy, which aims to expand its sustainable energy solutions by investing in energy storage and energy production.
With this acquisition, “we are securing strategic access to one of the most important energy and flexibility markets in Europe”, said Stefan Sewckow, member of the Group Executive Board and CCO Energy Markets at BKW. “We are strengthening our position in the marketing of flexibility and expanding our international portfolio.” BKW already covers the entire value chain for the energy transition in Germany, from energy production and power line construction to building planning and project management, and is reportedly planning further growth in these areas.
Over the next six weeks, HKG Engineering AG will be installing a photovoltaic system on the roofs of its own company buildings at the Aarau site. According to a press release, 184 high-efficiency modules are planned there, which will generate 93,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
The energy generated will be sufficient to cover the company’s own requirements in the offices and for charging electric vehicles. The system will also reduce the load on the neighboring Aarhof property, which is currently under construction.
With this investment, HKG is sending out a clear signal for sustainable action. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions in the building sector and reduce dependence on external energy.
Aare Energie AG(a.en) and IWB are tackling the realisation of a heating network in the Hagmatt border area between the Solothurn municipalities of Olten and Trimbach. The partner companies had made the realisation of the plans for extracting thermal energy from the groundwater dependent on the involvement of Olten Cantonal Hospital. This key customer has now agreed to participate, a.en and IWB announced in a joint press release.
A.en and IWB intend to start construction work on the heating network as early as next year. Its network length is expected to be 6 kilometres. A new heating centre in the Dellen drinking water pumping station is named in the press release as the heart of the system. Two heat pumps, each with an output of around 2.5 megawatts, will extract heat from the groundwater here.
According to the press release, the provision of heat from groundwater can also be guaranteed at low water temperatures in winter. The annual heat output of the plant is estimated at 20 gigawatt hours. Interested parties who have already requested an indicative offer should now receive concrete offers and be able to conclude contracts. The partners expect the first heat deliveries from 2027.
For years, Suissetec has been committed to a “level playing field” between traditional consulting, planning and installation companies and energy service providers, which are increasingly active in the building technology market. In this specific case, EKS used customer data from the basic supply, i.e. from the monopoly sector, to advertise solar systems, an offer in the free market. This unlawful competitive advantage violates the Electricity Supply Act.
Following a criminal complaint filed by Suissetec in 2017, two former EKS employees were finally convicted on March 31, 2025. Comparable proceedings against Repower and Groupe e also ended in guilty verdicts.
Consistent separation of market areas The ruling makes it clear that the monopoly area of basic energy supply must remain strictly separated from the commercial activities of energy service providers, for example in building technology or solar installations. Companies are obliged to take organizational and technical precautions to ensure that there is no mixing.
Although only employees and not the company itself were prosecuted in this specific case, the court emphasized that companies can also be liable to prosecution if they breach their duty of care.
Signal effect for the industry For Suissetec, the third ruling in this case is a milestone. Director Christoph Schaer emphasizes: “The EKS case is now closed for us. At the same time, we expect this ruling to form the basis for competitive but fair competition between all market participants.”
In this way, the association not only wants to prevent abuses, but also raise awareness among energy service providers, as important members of Suissetec, of the importance of clean dividing lines. The aim is constructive cooperation in the market that enables fair competition with clear rules.
According to calculations by the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom), tariffs will fall to a median value of 27.7 cents/kWh in the coming year. For a typical household with an annual consumption of 4,500 kWh, this means an electricity bill of around CHF 1,247, around CHF 58 less than in 2025.
The price structure will change in detail Energy tariff falls from 13.7 to 12.11 Rp./kWh (-11.6%). Grid tariff falls from 12.18 to 10.75 cents/kWh, but no longer includes metering costs. Metering tariff now shown separately at CHF 74.40/year (corresponds to 1.65 Rp./kWh). Grid surcharge remains stable at 2.3 Rp./kWh. Electricity reserve increases from 0.23 to 0.41 Rp./kWh. Solidarized costs now at 0.05 Rp./kWh. Charges to local authorities unchanged at 1 Rp./kWh.
The bottom line is a slight reduction for households, while small and medium-sized enterprises benefit more from lower grid and metering costs.
Reasons for the development The price reduction is primarily the result of falling energy costs. Numerous high-priced procurement contracts from the crisis years 2022/23 are expiring, allowing more favorable market conditions to take effect. At the same time, the grid operator Swissgrid is reporting lower tariffs (1.42 Rp./kWh instead of 1.71).
On average, grid costs including the metering tariff will increase slightly, despite lower standard rates for the return on capital, which will enable savings of around CHF 120 million nationwide.
Dynamic tariffs from 2026 In view of the growing spread of heat pumps and electromobility, the load on the electricity grids is increasing. From 2026, grid operators will be able to introduce comprehensive dynamic grid tariffs for the first time. The aim is to align consumption more closely with the grid status and thus avoid costly grid expansions.
Dynamic tariffs are based on the actual costs and should be designed to reflect the source. They must remain comparable with previous tariffs for standard load profiles. Transparency and traceability in invoicing are required by law. To date, no grid operator has announced a dynamic model as a standard tariff; end customers are still guaranteed a choice.
Transparency and comparability Since this month, all 2026 electricity prices of the approximately 590 Swiss grid operators have been available on the ElCom platform. The values are based on the operators’ median figures and can vary considerably from region to region depending on the procurement strategy and in-house production. ElCom does not approve the tariffs, but can intervene and order reductions if it suspects that prices are too high.
The debate about the power consumption of AI systems is not just a political issue. Data centres and highly scaled hardware consume enormous amounts of energy and the constant increase in the size of models is further exacerbating this trend. “We can’t scale indefinitely,” explains Klimovic, “so research into more sustainable solutions is essential.”
Economical model architectures One approach is the introduction of sparsity (density reduction) in neural networks. Models only activate relevant parts of their system, whereas classic approaches always utilise the entire network. “Mixture-of-experts models follow this logic. They distribute queries specifically to specialised modules. This saves energy without sacrificing quality.
GPUs are valuable, but often unused Klimovic sees a central problem in the low utilisation of GPUs, even though they consume an enormous amount of power. Bottlenecks occur in particular during data pre-processing and communication between several GPUs. Computing utilisation is often below 50 percent. New software solutions are needed to prevent valuable resources from lying idle.
Efficiency through intelligent frameworks Your research group develops systems that focus on automation and optimisation.
Sailor is a platform that automatically parallelises training jobs via GPUs, thereby increasing GPU efficiency.
Modyn and Mixtera are systems for smarter data selection that train models faster and with less data.
DeltaZip is a platform that efficiently manages fine-tuned model variants. It compresses differences between models (“deltas”), which reduces loading times and makes inference faster and more resource-efficient.
Sustainability in training and inference Efficiency gains play a key role not only in training, but also in the application, known as inference. In view of the billions of daily interactions with chatbots, the conservation of energy and hardware resources is becoming a globally urgent task.
Academic freedom and open science Klimovic emphasises the importance of academic research. Less driven by economic constraints, it can pursue long-term innovations. She emphasises the role of the Swiss AI initiative, which was launched in 2023 and is based on the CSCS’s almost climate-neutral Alps supercomputer. With over 10 million GPU hours and CHF 20 million in funding, it is the world’s largest open science and open source initiative for basic AI models.
The AI revolution will only be sustainable if efficiency becomes the guiding principle. In algorithms, hardware and system architectures. Projects such as Sailor, Modyn and DeltaZip show concrete ways in which enormous energy savings can be combined with technical excellence. For Klimovic, one thing is certain: “In the future, high-quality AI will not only mean intelligence, but also resource conservation.”
Switzerland signed two agreements with Denmark on 3 September that will enable the export and permanent storage of Swiss CO2 in Denmark. Future cooperation in the area of negative emissions technology (NET) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) is also planned, according to a press release. The Federal Council had already approved the two agreements on 27 August 2025.
The partnership with Denmark joins the existing partnership with Norway, which was signed on 17 June 2025 and also enables CO2 storage and bilateral emissions trading. “CO2 storage will also be important for Switzerland on the way to the net-zero target,” said Federal Councillor Albert Rösti in the press release on the agreement with Norway. “This technology complements our existing instruments for decarbonisation.”
The agreements with Denmark and Norway were signed against the backdrop of the Climate and Innovation Act (CIE), which commits Switzerland to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Net zero is to be achieved primarily by reducing emissions, while emissions that are difficult to avoid, such as those from the cement industry or agriculture, must be offset by CCS or NET technologies. The federal government has been promoting the use of such technologies since 1 January 2025 as part of the CIG.
Green Datacenter AG(Green) from Lupfig AG and BRUGG Pipes from Kleindöttingen have agreed to work together to supply several municipalities in the canton of Zurich with district heating. According to a press release, the waste heat from the new Green Metro-Campus Zurich will supply 11,500 households in Dielsdorf and five neighbouring municipalities as well as industrial and commercial companies with district heating.
In collaboration with the energy supplier Energie 360°, CO2-free heating is to be generated from the waste heat of the new data centre. An energy centre is being built right next to the Green Metro campus. The companies involved are relying on pipes from BRUGG Pipes to build the district heating network. The Aargau-based company has already supplied 126 pipes, each 12 metres long and with an external diameter of 70 centimetres. The pipe system is laid underground and is no longer visible after construction. The system is equipped with a smart monitoring system for maintenance purposes.
“The data centres in Dielsdorf are a good example of how waste heat can be used sensibly and CO2 can be saved,” said Martin Rigaud, CEO of BRUGG Pipes, in the press release.
Energie 360° aims to supply the first district heating in 2026. Green is already using the waste heat from the data centre to heat its own office buildings and a nearby industrial complex.
One solution relies on special films that direct visible light specifically to the edge of the glass pane. There, PV strips, often made of high-performance material such as GaAs, absorb the light and convert it into electricity. Solar cells are only needed at the edge, which saves material and resources. The view is retained and the window remains transparent.
Using cholesteric liquid crystals, a research team at Nanjing University has developed a prototype that achieves an optical efficiency of over 18% and delivers stable values under real conditions. For a typical window with a height of two meters, there is a strong concentration of light at the edge zone. The coating can be produced industrially and is suitable for large façades.
Transparent tandem cells The EU project CitySolar presents another innovation. Two combined PV layers (halide perovskite at the top, organic at the bottom) extract energy from different light spectra while allowing visible light to pass through. This means that the room brightness and view remain unchanged, the window “looks like a window” but produces electricity.
With an efficiency of 12.3% and 30% transparency, a new record has been set for transparent PV modules. The structure is suitable for office and residential buildings as well as high-rise buildings with large glass fronts.
Future and potential Researchers and industry partners are working on even higher efficiencies and better production methods. Challenges exist in balancing transparency and efficiency and in integrating them into existing construction processes. However, projects such as those from ZEISS or the international CitySolar consortium clearly show how great the market potential is.
Transparent solar cells and intelligent glass surfaces are paving the way for buildings that partially cover their own electricity requirements. Windows as power plants are within reach and will play a decisive role in shaping the energy transition in urban areas.
With the increasing expansion of renewable energies, the rotating masses of conventional power plants, which previously ensured a stable voltage and frequency, are no longer present in the grid. Grid-forming inverters must take over this task and reliably stabilize the grid even in critical situations such as frequency changes or short circuits. Until now, however, there has been a lack of a uniform definition and standardized verification procedures for these systems.
GFM Benchmark test procedure In the GFM Benchmark project, Fraunhofer ISE invited leading manufacturers to test their devices in the laboratory. Seven companies provided inverters with different outputs and development statuses. The test procedure was developed together with German transmission grid operators and simulates various grid situations. In addition to normal operation, it also includes extreme situations such as phase jumps and short circuits in the grid.
While many devices react similarly under clearly defined requirements, there are still clear differences under more complex conditions. The ISE team was therefore able to provide manufacturers with valuable tips for optimization and highlighted the need for further development.
Paving the way for standardization and market integration The project results have been directly incorporated into European standardization work and the VDE FNN note “Grid-forming properties”. For the first time, the new test guideline provides a recognized framework for the practical testing and certification of grid-forming systems. This is particularly relevant as a new market for instantaneous reserve will be launched in Germany from 2026, in which battery storage systems with suitable certification, for example, will receive additional revenue opportunities.
Market maturity, best practice and industry dialog The market analysis and test data provide a solid basis for decision-making for manufacturers, grid operators, investors and standards bodies. The certification measurements that are now possible will accelerate the market entry of new, stabilizing inverters. In addition, Fraunhofer ISE supports the transfer of European requirements into national regulations and supports the industry with best practice guidelines.
Fraunhofer ISE has set a milestone with the test procedure for grid-forming inverters. This will not only make the energy transition in Europe safer, but also measurably faster.
Simon Lüthi from Wüest Partner recommends renovating the house as soon as possible. Any time is the right time for the environment. Economically, it is particularly attractive if subsidies, tax savings and lower ancillary costs additionally support the increased market value.
Energy efficiency as a value factor The demand for energy-efficient properties is increasing. Investors, funds and pension funds are paying attention to sustainability, often for regulatory reasons. Investments in energy efficiency increase the value of real estate in the long term. This is particularly the case when renovation and modernization coincide.
Tenancy law and urban regions Energy-efficient refurbishment is also worthwhile in cities. The market there is particularly responsive to sustainable improvements. Refurbishment also protects against future legal requirements. However, local tenancy law regulations can restrict the possibilities for apportionment.
Replacing the heating system is a sensible step If you need to replace your heating system anyway, you should switch from an oil system to a heat pump or district heating. A heating system replacement is usually due every 25 years anyway and covers the repairs at the same time. For many homeowners, simply replacing the heating system is the most economically attractive option.
Homeowners should start with a heating system replacement if the building envelope is intact. If the envelope is in need of renovation, it is worth combining the renovation of the roof, façade and windows with the replacement of the heating system.
Regulations, subsidies and expert opinions Regulation is becoming stricter. The aim is to achieve a climate-neutral building stock by 2050. Subsidies and tax benefits make refurbishment profitable. If you are unsure, consult an expert for planning.
Financing and grey energy Banks often offer more favorable mortgages for sustainable properties. In future, the focus will also shift to efficient cooling and the reuse of building components. Grey energy, i.e. the production energy contained in the building, is becoming increasingly important.
Replacing oil heating is a real added value. It offers lower heating costs and a higher house value, for today and tomorrow.
The Zurich-based start-up Exnaton is teaming up with the German software manufacturer SAP, based in Walldorf, to operate the SAP Energy Community in the SAP Energy Park. The SAP Energy Community allows buildings and employees to produce, store and trade renewable energy with each other. The initiative focuses on the S.MART Shop, a space equipped with solar panels, EV chargers and a battery system that enables renewable energy trading on the SAP campus.
Exnaton supports the programme with its energy sharing software solutions, which simplify registration with a user-friendly interface and enable users to manage, consume and trade energy together. Real-time data from SAP dashboards, combined with Exnaton software, enables energy to be sold when market conditions are favourable and stored for future use. The energy community dashboard, which provides real-time insights into consumption, production and energy trading and serves as a communication channel for sustainability programmes, is also operated by Exnaton. The SAP Energy Community leads to cost savings through optimised energy use, reduced CO2 emissions and increased resilience thanks to decentralised energy production and storage.
In view of stricter German energy legislation from 2026, the project in Walldorf can serve as a model for other energy sharing projects. “The SAP Energy Community is central to establishing a standard model for energy sharing in Germany,” said Anselma Wörner, co-founder and COO of exnaton, in the press release. “With our experience from international energy communities, we are proud to support SAP in turning this vision into a scalable, practical solution.”
Imagine you are investing in a promising property, be it a residential complex, an office building or a mixed-use site. Everything seems perfect: location, yield prospects, substance. But on first inspection, it is striking: The lighting is still based on classic fluorescent tubes. What at first glance seems unimportant turns out on closer inspection to be a factor with a major impact on safety and efficiency.
Well thought-out lighting design not only enhances the atmosphere, but also energy efficiency.
Since September 2023, classic fluorescent tubes may no longer be sold in Switzerland and the EU. Stocks are largely empty and replacements are virtually unavailable. For owners, this means that failures can no longer be rectified simply by replacing a tube, and improvised solutions harbour safety and liability risks. Those who wait risk unplanned costs and the loss of legal certainty.
For property managers and investors, the focus is not on technical details, but on the economic impact. Outdated lighting causes higher electricity costs, which are directly reflected in the ancillary costs and reduce the attractiveness of the property. Tenants are also sensitive to rising operating costs, which has a long-term impact on rentability.
LED lighting increases safety, reduces risks and fulfils legal requirements.
There is also the sustainability aspect: energy efficiency is now a key criterion for ESG ratings. These ratings are playing an increasingly important role in financing, portfolio management and for institutional investors. Lighting that is no longer state of the art has a negative impact on a property’s sustainability rating and therefore its market position.
Typical stumbling blocks and why they can be expensive
Unplanned outages: Without suitable replacement tubes, expensive temporary solutions have to be organised at short notice.
Improper conversions: Improvised installations are not only unsafe, they can also jeopardise insurance claims.
Lack of planning: If you ignore the issue, you risk higher maintenance costs and unnecessary tenant losses.
Outdated lighting systems harbour risks – modernisation ensures operation and value retention.
What does this mean for your investment? When buying or managing property, lighting is often only considered superficially. But it influences several parameters at once: Operating costs, safety, sustainability and legal compliance. If you check the condition at an early stage, you can avoid follow-up costs and integrate measures properly into your budget planning. This means that modernisations can be carried out without rushing, without affecting tenants or ongoing operations.
What does this mean for your investment? When buying or managing property, lighting is often only considered superficially. But it influences several parameters at once: Operating costs, safety, sustainability and legal compliance. If you check the condition at an early stage, you can avoid follow-up costs and integrate measures properly into your budget planning. This means that modernisations can be implemented without rushing and without affecting tenants or ongoing operations.
Conclusion: Those who act in good time secure the value The FL tube ban has changed the rules of the game. If you act now, you minimise risks, prevent unplanned downtime and protect the value of your property in the long term.
If you would like to know more about how to plan the right steps for your property, there is a compact guide available. It summarises the most important points for property professionals in an easy-to-understand way and gives you the confidence to make the right decisions.
Get informed before it gets expensive. The guide shows you the key facts and helps you to avoid risks and secure the value of your property – available to download free of charge.
According to a press release,Swiss Fibre Net and the local energy and water supplier StWZ Energie will provide the population of Zofingen with almost 5,000 fibre optic connections by the end of the year. This figure is set to rise to 8,000 by the end of 2026.
The two companies also announced that the fibre optic network will be opened up to enable customers to be supplied with a wide range of telecoms services from various providers. “Thanks to the collaboration with Swiss Fibre Net, Zofingen residents with access to StWZ fibre optics can benefit from the additional telecoms offerings from Sunrise and Salt,” said StWZ Managing Director Paul Marbach in a press release. The offers from the two telecoms providers are available immediately.
According to Andreas Waber, CEO of Swiss Fibre Net, the fact that customers can choose from various telecoms providers is a must nowadays: “Only open networks guarantee customer-oriented competition. That is why we are committed to the principle of an open fibre optic network in cooperation with energy providers, cable network operators and municipalities.”
Swiss Fibre Net AG is a joint venture between local energy suppliers and cable network operators in Switzerland. It connects the local fibre optic networks of its network partners to form the large-scale, homogeneous and open Swiss Fibre Net and offers this to nationally active telecoms providers for use.
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