Replacing Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power with Renewable Energy: Utopia or Valid Option? A Swiss Case Study of Bioenergy

Renato Lemm, Raphael Haymoz, Astrid Björnsen Gurung, Vanessa Burg, Tom Strebel and Oliver Thees
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Renato Lemm: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Raphael Haymoz: Institute of Bioenergy and Resource Efficiency, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, Klosterzelgstr. 2, 5210 Windisch, Switzerland
Astrid Björnsen Gurung: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Vanessa Burg: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Tom Strebel: Institute of Bioenergy and Resource Efficiency, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, Klosterzelgstr. 2, 5210 Windisch, Switzerland
Oliver Thees: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstr. 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: The transition towards a reliable, sustainable, low-carbon energy system is a major challenge of the 21st century. Due to the lower energy density of many renewable energy sources, a future system is expected to be more decentralized, leading to significant changes at the regional scale. This study analyzes the feasibility of the energy transition in the Swiss canton of Aargau as an illustrative example and explores different strategies to satisfy the local demand for electricity, heat, and fuel by 2035. In particular, we assess the potential contribution of biomass. Four scenarios demonstrate what energy demand proportion could be covered by bioenergy if different priorities were given to the provision of heat, electricity, and fuel. The impact of improved conversion technologies is also considered. The results show that the sustainably available renewable energy sources in canton Aargau will probably not be sufficient to cover its forecasted energy demand in 2035, neither with present nor future biomass conversion technologies. At best, 74% of the energy demand could be met by renewables. Biomass can increase the degree of autarky by a maximum of 13%. Depending on the scenario, at least 26–43% (2500–5700 GWh) of total energy demand is lacking, particularly for mobility purposes.

Keywords: bioenergy; energy demand; energy transition; renewable energy potentials; energy system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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