Wood fuel in Switzerland: energy potential, technology development, resource mobilization, and its role in the energy transition. White paper
Year: 2023
Type: report
Abstract: To enable the energy transition in Switzerland, SCCER BIOSWEET (i) assessed the current and future potentials of primary energy from the different woody biomass types in Switzerland; (ii) developed and implemented innovative technologies for biomass utilization in the fields of heat, electricity and fuels; and (iii) investigated the future role of woody biomass in the energy system. SCCER BIOSWEET started with the vision of 100 petajoules (PJ) of primary energy consumption per year from bioenergy by 2050, which means a doubling of the current energy consumption from biomass. According to the results of the analyses completed through SCCER BIOSWEET, this target is achievable and woody biomass could contribute 50 %. Nevertheless, with regard to resource efficiency and the decarbonization of industry and society, priority should be given to the material use of wood (cascading use), for example as chemicals produced in biorefineries. In Switzerland, the use of wood for energy would ideally include the production of high-temperature heat for industrial process heating, as well as fuels in gaseous and liquid form for ground- and air-based transportation. A further key point is the need to compensate for fluctuations in the production of other types of energy, especially solar power.
DOI: 10.55419/wsl:32791
Authors: Oliver Thees, Matthias Erni, Vanessa Burg, Gillianne Bowman, Serge Biollaz, Theodoros Damartzis, Timothy Griffin, Jeremy Luterbacher, François Maréchal, Thomas Nussbaumer, Tilman Schildhauer, Janine Schweier, Michael Studer, Oliver Kröcher
Institutions: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Paul Scherrer Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Bern University of Applied Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4366274218