Energy Strategy for ETH Zurich

Energy Research at ETH Zurich
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Interactions with society and the
environment
Ecological systems analysis
Energy, for example in the form of electricity, useful heat,
or mechanical energy, is required for most human activities.
A holistic approach to systems thinking is necessary
in order to identify potential areas of ecological improvement.
Hereby, the omnipresent energy processes in the
economy and the existence of complex interactions can
be best understood. The field of ecological systems analysis
is concerned with the examination and ecological
optimization of technological and economic systems
through the efficient management of energy and resources.
ETH Zurich is producing pioneering research into developing
new eco-accounting methods. One example of a comprehensive
ecological systems analysis is the quantification
of all energy- and stock flows in a system, as well as
the assessment of the resultant environmental impact
and risk. In so-called “life-cycle analysis,” all effects of the
production system on the environment are quantified
over the entire life-span of the product, from extracting
resources and manufacturing, through usage, maintenance
and transport, to eventual recycling and disposal.
Several research groups are addressing questions of energetic
and ecological systems analysis and configuration.
The following are a few examples:
• Analysis and minimization of risk for systems of energy
•
production and supply networks.
Investigation of the interdependencies between energy
demand and changes in the environment, for example
the impact of the greenhouse effect on the availability
of hydropower.
• Development of decision-making instruments for industry
and for consumers in order to optimize energy
efficiency and increase the demand for energy from
clean sources.
• Development of agent-based models for transportation
systems that will enable the identification of
energy-efficient scenarios.
• Development of approaches for recycling and the closure
of material flows and the lowering of the demand
for energy through environmentally-conscious process
(re-)design.
• Development of robust “road maps” for future energy
systems, with special reference to the development of
new technologies.
One exemplary success stemming from ETH Zurich’s
research is the world’s largest database of ecological lifecycle
data, Ecoinvent. Ecoinvent contains data on over
1000 resources as well as the emission flows from over
3500 product systems and processes from the fields of
energy systems, transport, production, materials and
chemicals, and disposal processes. Ecoinvent was originally
created by ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute
(PSI). The database is utilized by a multitude of businesses,
public authorities, and research institutes for producing
comprehensive environmental analyses, and it is
called upon for ecological decision-making. In many cases,
Ecoinvent is deployed in order to detect potential areas of
ecological improvement and for increasing the energy
efficiency of production processes. The database is jointly
kept up-to-date by ETH Zurich, PSI, Empa, and the Agricultural
Research Station (ART).