| Current Projects |
| Authorities and ETH Competence Centers |
Carbon management in power generation (CARMA)
Within the framework of future energy scenarios, the CARMA project aims to explore the potential and feasibility of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) systems in Switzerland. Furthermore, it aims to exploit available expertise to develop new CCS technologies and know-how that might be applied in Switzerland and worldwide.
CARMA Website |
IMpact of Biomass burning AerosoL on Air quality aNd ClimatE (IMBALANCE)
In the IMBALANCE project the physical and chemical properties of emissions caused by the intended burning of biomass for cooking and heating will be comprehensively characterized in order to allow an assessment of their impact on air quality and climate. Economic modeling will be used to assess the external costs of biomass burning emissions in comparison with alternatives. In the first 2 years of the project, the emphasis will be placed on wood combustion produced aerosols, with emissions from non-wood biomass combustion to be assessed in years 3-4.
IMBALANCE Website |
Life Cycle Assessment Multi-Sectoral Background Database (ecoinvent)
The ecoinvent Centre is a joint initiative of several Swiss federal research institutes that established and continuously further develops and updates the ecoinvent database. Its objective is to establish and provide scientifically sound and transparent international life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle management (LCM) data. It currently contains more than 4000 industrial life cycle inventory (LCI) datasets. The Technology Assessment group is jointly responsible for all data concerning energy supply.
ecoinvent Centre Website |
Severe Accidents in the Energy Sector
A comprehensive and undistorted comparative assessment of severe accident in the energy sector requires the objective expression of accidents and risks on the basis of extensive data collection and evaluation. For this purpose, the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) has developed and established the Energy-related Severe Accident Database (ENSAD). Since its first release in 1998, it has been continuously updated to keep up with the growing historical experience. The analytic scope has also been substantially extended to provide solutions to upcoming problems and to meet the specific needs of new users. Considerable difference in the magnitude, timing, and nature of associated risks can be expected among the various energy chains. It is this difference that allows a degree of choice in the decision-making process, with regard to selecting energy alternatives, decisions on energy policies and achieving safety goals.
Risk Assessment: Introduction and Selected Results |
| European Union and International Organizations |
Security of Energy Considering its Uncertainty, Risks and Economic implications(SECURE)
The SECURE project develops appropriate tools for evaluating the vulnerability of the EU to the different energy supply risks, and for promoting the optimization of EU energy insecurity mitigation strategies, including investment, demand side management and dialogue with producing countries. The Technology Assessment (TA) group is leading the activities on “Development and application of methodology for assessing the impacts of severe accidents and terrorist threat” and for “Multi-Criteria Analysis of policy options”. Additionally, the TA group is contributing to several other work packages. The project takes a global as well as a sectoral view in its analysis of all major energy sources and technologies, integrating issues of both supply and demand.
SECURE Website |
Techno-economic Comparison of Ultimate Disposal Facilities for CO2 and Nuclear Waste
The Technology Assessment group takes part in the IAEA Coordinated Research Project I12004. The TA group contributes a comparative assessment of nuclear and fossil electricity generation technologies addressing the disposal of CO2 (i.e. carbon capture and storage, CCS) and nuclear wastes (NW). The methodological approach builds upon the integrated framework for the comprehensive assessment of energy systems developed by the Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis at PSI. For the current project specific elements of this framework will be used, including project-specific developments and/or adjustments in necessary cases. In the first project phase the definition of the set of criteria and indicators for the assessment of selected CCS & NW concepts is performed. In the second phase, the specified indicators are estimated and subsequently subjected to comparative evaluation. These results could then provide an essential contribution to decision-making processes and the formulation of energy policies. |
| Industry |
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| Communication and Stakeholder Interaction |
Energie-Spiegel
Popular dissemination of scientific results to reach and inform the broad public. The “Mirror on Energy” or “Energie-Spiegel” newsletter is published about every four months to provide independent and impartial information within the national energy policy debate.
Energie-Spiegel Website |
Energie Trialog Schweiz
Involvement and different contributions. Mostly recently, the Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis (LEA) conducted a study on the "Comparision of electricity and heating supply from centralized and decentralized systems".
Energie Trialog Schweiz Webseite |
Completed Projects |
| Authorities and ETH Competence Centers |
New renewables and new nuclear technologies: potential and costs (for the SFOE)
Neue erneuerbare Energien und neue Nuklearanlagen: Potenziale und Kosten (Beitrag zu den Energieperspektiven 2035/50 des Bundesamt für Energie)
As part to the energy perspectives for 2035/2050 of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), a team of PSI researchers assessed the potential and costs of electricity production from new renewable and new nuclear energy technologies.
Project Overview and further information |
ecoinvent 2000 Life Cycle Assessment Multi-Sectoral Background Database.
Project Overview |
Severe accidents in the energy sector Report commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy
PSI-Report 98-16 |
| European Union and International Organizations |
New Energy Externalities Developments for Sustainability (NEEDS)
The NEEDS consortium includes 66 partners, representing 26 Countries (12 Member States from the EU15, 9 new EU Member States, 3 Mediterranean Countries, and 2 Countries from other parts of the World). The ultimate objective of the project is to evaluate the full costs and benefits (i.e. direct + external) of energy policies and of future energy systems, both for individual countries and for the enlarged EU as a whole. It entails major advancements, specifically in the areas of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and external costing associated with energy production, transport, conversion and use, and it will improve the integration of these research areas into policy formulation.
NEEDS Website |
Nuclear Energy Outlook 2008
The Technology Assessment group contributed a concise, comparative analysis of severe accident risks in the energy sector to the Nuclear Energy Outlook 2008 by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
NEA Website |
Cost Assessment for Sustainable Energy Systems (CASES)
This project aims to provide a complete and consistent assessment of the full cost of energy sources, i.e. the external cost plus the private cost, which is of paramount importance for energy and environmental policy making.
CASES Website |
Extension of Accounting Framework and Policy Applications (ExternE-Pol)
This project is a continuation of the ExternE project series for the analysis of the external costs of energy. Its objectives include (1) improving, validating and extending the methodology of ExternE; (2) providing an assessment of new technologies for energy systems; (3) implementing the methodology in the accession countries of Eastern Europe; and (4) creating a permanent internet site for ExternE.
ExternE-Pol Website |
New Elements for the Assessment of External Costs from Energy Technologies (NewExt)
NewExt is the follow-up of the European Commission’s former ExternE project which developed an accounting framework to quantify the external costs from energy conversion. Due to various uncertainties, inconsistencies and criticisms, the objective of NewExt was to improve the existing framework by providing new methodological elements in four key areas which reflect the most important new developments in the assessment of external costs.
NewExt Website
Publishable NewExt Report (50 pages, 0.5 MB)
Final
NewExt Report (333 pages, 3.6 MB) |
Sustainability of electricity supply technologies under German conditions
This study was commissioned by the Internationale Länderkommission Kerntechnik (ILK, International Committee on Nuclear Technology). The Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) carried out a limited scope comparative study on the sustainability of different electricity supply technologies under German conditions in order to demonstrate the applicability of a systematic approach and generate reasonably consistent results from which robust conclusions can be derived.
PSI-Report 04-15
ILK Statement
on Sustainability Evaluation of Nuclear Energy
and other
Electricity Supply Technologies
Hirschberg S. et al.: Strenghts and Weaknesses of Current Energy Chains in a Sustainable development Perspective. Atw 51. Jg. (July 2006) Heft 7, 447-457. Download |
| Industry |
LCA of fossil and biomass power generation chains (for Alstom)
Conducted on behalf of Alstom Power Services, this project requires the comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and comparison of fossil and biomass energy chains and involves a range of and state-of-the-art power plant technologies for either pure fossil or biomass fuels, as well as co-combustion technologies. The study considers fossil fuel production within Europe and also fuel imports to Europe. In the case of biomass the scope is limited to the effects of average European forestry.
Project Report 08-05 |
LCA of gas technologies in France (for GdF)
This is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based project conducted in partnership with Gaz de France (GdF). The objective is to determine the potential impacts on human health and the environment specific to the French gas supply chain and therefore to differentiate consumption in France from the general European-wide statistics. Independent validation is carried out by the Centre for Energy and Processes at the Ecole des Mines de Paris. |
Multi-disciplinary evaluation of future electricity generation technologies (for Axpo Holding)
A broad portfolio of eighteen fossil, nuclear and renewable electricity generation technologies, together with their associated energy chains, were the focus of a comprehensive LCA based project to compare sustainability performances of electricity supply in Switzerland. The study used two time frames to assess the technologies currently considered as the best available and their evolutionary development up to 2030. Both large centralized power plants as well as smaller decentralized units were used and the study included electricity imports.
Project overview and main results
Paper on environmental results |
Assessment of natural gas accident risks (SVGW)
This study was commissioned by the Schweizerischer Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches (SVGW). Its framework encompassed a primarily experience-based comparison of accident risks associated with the energy sector, with special emphasis on the natural gas chain. The results provide a broader perspective on the gas-specific risks, but this information is also of interest to various stakeholders beyond the gas sector.
PSI Report No. 05-01 |
China Energy Technology Program (CETP)
Although focusing on China and in particular the Shandong Province, this international and multi-discipline study had the objective to develop a globally applicable methodology for analyzing the "true" cradle-to-grave health and environmental impacts of electric power generation in developing economies. As well as identifying a robust portfolio of innovative energy options, the study was designed to inform and assist stakeholders over the next 20 to 30 years by incorporating integrated assessment in the decision-making process.
Project Overview |
Energy perspectives and CO2 reduction potentials in Switzerland until year 2010
To find out how to reach the goal of the Swiss CO2 law, the ETH Zurich and PSI carried out a joint study. It was especially aimed at answering the question of what role higher energy efficiency, the strengthened use of natural gas and renewable energies could play. It also needed to explain how the added costs associated with a reduction in CO2 compare to the higher costs caused by air pollution and climate change.
Energie-Spiegel 10
Energieperspektiven und CO2-Reduktionspotenziale in der Schweiz bis 2010. Energieeffizienz sowie Substitution durch Erdgas und erneuerbare Energien. Eberhard J. & Martin J. (Hrsg.). vdf Hochschulverlag AG, Zürich. |
Analysis and Characterization of Electricity Production at Cogeneration Facilities in Switzerland (for ATEL)
The project, carried out on behalf of the ATEL company (“Aare-Tessin AG”, Alpiq since 2009), contained the analysis and characterization of electricity production at cogeneration facilities in Switzerland with selected technological, economic, and environmental indicators. Various types of natural gas and diesel engines as well as fuel cells were addressed.
Project Overview |
DEZENTRAL: Perspectives of future electricity and heat supply strategies for Switzerland
PSI-Report 01-12
Energie-Spiegel 2 |
Comparison of Energy Supply Options for Novartis „Campus des Wissens”
Report |
INFEL: Choice of electricity-mix for different LCA applications
Project Overview |
VSE Vorschau 95: LCI study on future electricity options in Switzerland
Project Overview |
Technology Assessment
