Switzerland: Four times more solar systems needed for green energy by 2050!

Switzerland: Four times more solar systems needed for green energy by 2050!

Switzerland faces an ambitious challenge to achieve its climate goals by 2050. According to a new report from the Edge research consortium, which works under the Federal Office of Energy's (BFE) Sweet funding program, the expansion of renewable energies is essential. In order to realize the vision of a climate-neutral country, Switzerland needs four times as many solar systems and greatly expanded wind power capacity. The report highlights that by 2050, around 60 percent of electricity demand should be met by renewable sources such as photovoltaics, wind energy and biomass, which means an increase in annual electricity demand from 56 terawatt hours (TWh) to around 75 TWh.

Switching to these energy models requires a quadrupling of photovoltaic capacity, increasing from the current 6.4 gigawatts (GW) to 26.8 GW. Furthermore, wind power capacity must be increased over 80-fold, from 0.1 GW to 8.4 GW, to pave the way to a sustainable energy future. A crucial element highlighted in the report is the subsidies needed to finance these changes.

Electricity imports and international cooperation

Another aspect that is central to the implementation of climate goals is net electricity imports. According to the Electricity Act adopted in June 2024, these may not exceed five TWh in winter. In order to ensure a cost-efficient electricity supply, functioning electricity trading with foreign countries plays a crucial role. Over half of Swiss electricity suppliers' annual investments in renewable projects flow to Europe, with Germany, France and Italy being the main target countries.

• Deutschland: 177 Millionen US-Dollar jährlich
• Frankreich: 112 Millionen US-Dollar jährlich
• Italien: 43 Millionen US-Dollar jährlich

Swiss investments outside Europe amount to $644 million, mainly in wind energy projects. These cross-border trading relationships are of great importance for the energy supply in Switzerland.

Costs and social acceptance

However, the shift to renewable energy could also drive up the cost of fossil fuels and various goods. According to the report, it is estimated that monthly household spending could increase by up to 0.75 percent of consumption, depending on climate ambitions abroad. Electricity prices could also more than double, which would increase the financial burden on the population.

A survey shows that around 60 percent of the Swiss population would like to see closer cooperation with the EU on energy supply issues. At the same time, 70 percent of those surveyed want independence in energy matters, which makes it more difficult to accept electricity imports. The challenge of realizing the necessary expansion of solar systems and wind power will therefore not only be a technical task, but also a social one.

In short, Switzerland must move towards a sustainable energy future with a well-thought-out strategy. The report from the Sweet consortium, which includes major research institutions such as ETH Zurich and EPFL, provides a detailed overview of the necessary path to the energy supply of the future.