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

Renato Lemm,Tom Strebel,Oliver Thees,Raphael Haymoz,Vanessa Burg,Astrid Björnsen Gurung

doi:10.3390/en13082051

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.

Highlights

In response to the pressing need to decarbonize the world’s economies and to reach CO2 emissions targets, many countries have intensified their efforts in replacing fossil fuels with renewables, while enhancing energy efficiency and decreasing energy consumption
In order to estimate the degree of achievable energy self-sufficiency, the total cantonal energy demand was compared with sustainable renewable energy production, both for current conditions and for future conditions until 2035
In scenarios 0a–2b, the demand for electric mobility is covered exclusively by electricity as far as possible. This is justified by the fact that, based on the findings from scenarios 5b–7b, mobility can be provided most efficiently by electricity

Summary

Introduction

In response to the pressing need to decarbonize the world’s economies and to reach CO2 emissions targets, many countries have intensified their efforts in replacing fossil fuels with renewables, while enhancing energy efficiency and decreasing energy consumption. The strategy contains measures and binding benchmarks for increasing energy efficiency and expanding the use of renewables, as well as the phasing out of nuclear power [2]. Various studies [5,6,7,8] have claimed that a self-sufficient energy supply in Switzerland is technically possible without nuclear power plants. Such an energy supply, which relies on electricity efficiency of devices and renewable energies, should be safer and more ecologically friendly than the previous energy system, and more economical [9]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion