SFOE Progress report toward the achievement of the 2050 targets

On November 20th, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) released its first progress report toward the achievement of the national Energy Strategy 2050' targets. The report shows the situation at the end of 2017 and concludes that the first miles of the road towards the 2050 goals are going in the right direction and at the appropriate pace.

These results confirm the importance of the power infrastructure and relevance of SCCER-FURIES activities toward the achievement of the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050.

Electricity production from green renewable energies (without hydropower) has been rising since 2000. Since 2010 (reference year), this production has climbed up all the way from 1402 GWh to 3653 GWh covering the 75% percent of the distance till the 2020 target of 4400 GWh. Currently the 6.4% of total net electricity production is green.

In 2017, the average net power production expectation from blue renewable energy (hydropower) was 35,878 GWh. The benchmark for 2035 is 37,400 GW/h, so expected net increase is around 2,000 GW/h (there are no guideline for 2020). Of this target, 25.6% were achieved in 2017.

Final energy consumption per capita has decreased since 2000. In 2017, it was 15.7 % below the base year 2000, and, considering weather-adjustment, consumption was reduced by 16.3 %. This means that the 2020 target on energy consumption per capita is reached.

Power consumption per capita in 2017 was 4.9% below the value of 2000. Again, the 2020 milestone (-3%) is reached.

Since 2000, the share of renewable’ and gas’ energy sources in the national energy mix has increased by 10% at the expense of oil-derived energy products. Specifically, gas share has increased by 3%, electricity by 2.5%, wood by 1.3% and other renewable by 3.2%.

At the end of 2017, from the 196 639 km of the distribution network, the 86% is cabled notably on the level 7 (which is fully cabled), and the level 5 (fully cabled at the urban zones). As for the underground cabling, mainly reserved for the transmission grid, has reached the 6629 km.

Energy research are a significant part of the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050, and as such,since 2010: the annual public funding for energy research is doubled from CHF200M to CHF400M.The fund are assigned to the SCCERs, SNSF PNR 70 and 71 and SFOE P, D&L programs.

SFOE also acknowledges the important contribution of SCCERs to the achievement of the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050. At the end of 2017, 1263 researchers were active in the sponsored SCCER and Joint Activities (in 2016: 1152 researchers) and around 47% of that number were assistants and doctoral students. This number is magnified by the role of the SCCER funding as seed funds for development of more projects and futher capabilities.

Regarding the position of Swiss energy market in the international environment, one of the most significant facts is that the power supply for Swiss consumers is secured till 2035 as long as Switzerland gets integrated in the European market. In 2017 and 2018, negotiations with EU partners regarding the Swiss market access have advanced but not yet concluded. A framework agreement on market integration, security of supply and flexibility on the electricity sectors has been signed with Germany, France, Austria, and states of Benelux union. In addition, an agreement on the elaboration of a common energy and climate agenda has been decided between Switzerland and Germany.

The detailed monitoring report contains around 40 indicators in seven thematic areas: energy consumption and production, grid development, security of supply, spending and prices, energy-related CO₂ emissions, research, technology and international issues.