2020

The Energy Science Center (ESC) is delighted to welcome Prof. Bjarne Steffen as member of the competence center. Bjarne Steffen has recently been appointed as Assistant Professor for Climate Finance and Policy at ETH Zurich.

What should the future Swiss energy system look like? How can nuclear power be replaced? Will we have enough electricity on days where no sun is shining, no wind is blowing, and heating demand is high? Without clear answers, the discussion on the future Swiss energy system becomes bipartisan and emotional. Computational models can provide answers, facilitating a discussion less driven by subjective impressions but rather by profound technical analysis.  

In order to efficiently integrate intermittent renewable energy into our grids, we need to change the role that buildings play in a city. Instead of being mere consumers, they need to become a swarm of smart prosumers capable of stabilizing the grid. This calls for a new way how architects should design buildings, leading to the next era of architecture: “Energy Responsivism”.

The Energy Science Center (ESC) of ETH Zurich once again organized a major energy symposium, this year as "Energy Week @ ETH" for three days in an online format. The motto was "(R)Evolution of the Energy System”. For those who were not able to attend the event live, all presentations and video recordings (both in German and English) are now available online.

When registering for the Energy Week @ ETH, participants have the opportunity to ask the experts their most burning questions in advance. In the run-up to, during and after the event, ETH energy scientists and the Energy Science Center take these questions as an opportunity to shed light on some central energy issues.