SWEET-EDGE: Enabling Decentralized renewable GEneration in the Swiss cities, midlands, and the Alps

The aim of SWEET-EDGE (2021-2027) is to investigate and demonstrate pathways to promote decentralized renewable energy generation in Switzerland. It will develop regionalized scenarios and enabling strategies to achieve a large share of renewables in the energy sector in Switzerland by 2050 and focus on the role of local, decentralized renewable sources, such as solar PV, biomass, and wind in connection with existing hydropower and new storage options. EDGE will look into the socio-technical framework conditions that are vastly different in the Swiss cities, midlands, and the Alps.

Biomass resources assessment

In this context, we will investigate the availability and mobilization of woody and non-woody biomass as a central resource in the midlands and the Alps. More precisely, we will conduct in-depth spatial and temporal assessments on biomass potentials for energy. The focus will be set on non-woody agricultural biomass in the midlands and woody biomass in the Alps. In the midlands, the study will include a closer look at optimal location of biogas installations. To do so, we will consider agricultural resource availability, transport restrictions and other parameters, such as technology constraints or heat consumers. Additionally, we plan to assess possible opportunities between solar and biomass technologies in the midlands, particularly at the farm level. In the Alps, the study will investigate woody biomass potentials, as to date it has been assumed as limited due to harvesting, collection, and transportation constraints in mountainous terrain. We aim to improve it with more detailed considerations of forest accessibility, various harvesting, storage and logistics strategies that can increase the availability of woody biomass.

More information on the SWEET-EDGE Website: https://www.sweet-edge.ch