Renewables hold a high share of electricity and heat

The expansion of renewables is progressing slowly. A study by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy shows that Bern, Geneva, Aarau and Zurich are leading the way. 65 energy suppliers supply more than 80 per cent renewable electricity. Renewables also supply 80 per cent heat. The majority of gas supplies are fossil fuels.
The conversion of the Swiss energy supply to renewable sources is only making slow progress. This is shown by the seventh benchmark study by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy(SFOE), in which 111 energy suppliers from all over Switzerland took part this time.
According to the study, the share of renewables has stagnated compared to the sixth study in 2021/22 for the participating suppliers at just over 80 per cent for electricity, slightly below that for heat and just under 10 per cent for gas. Four suppliers have already met the targets for electricity with over 90 per cent, including Energie Wasser Bern(ewb) and Services Industriels de Genève with 95 per cent and Eniwa in Aarau and EWZ in Zurich with 94 per cent. In the heat sector, EWZ is ahead with 95 per cent and Energie Uster and Eniwa with 92 per cent target fulfilment each. In the gas supply sector, only ewb with 88 per cent and Technische Betriebe Glarus with 84 per cent are above 80 per cent target fulfilment.
Digitalisation is a major challenge for small suppliers in particular. A quarter of them do not even have a strategy for this. Just under half have a strategy, but no specific targets.
Energy efficiency measures are also lagging behind. Only 45 per cent of the participating electricity suppliers already have a strategy with quantified targets.
According to a BfE press release on the study, the benchmarking itself has contributed to knowledge transfer in the sector with webinars, events and information material.