Switzerland energy report

• The country, which aims at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, will likely miss its 2020 GHG emissions reduction target.
• The EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) and the Swiss ETS were linked in September 2020.
• The power and gas markets are dominated by publicly owned companies: Axpo, Alpiq, and BKW for power, with about half of total generation, EGO and Gaznat for natural gas, with 60% of the supply.
• Hydropower is the main energy resource and covers between 55 and 60% of the electricity mix.
• Switzerland decommissioned its first nuclear reactor at the end of 2019.
• The price of diesel is higher than for gasoline.
• The industrial gas price is 80% above the EU average and the highest in Europe.
• Switzerland has the lowest energy intensity in Europe.
• Hydro, nuclear, and solar cover around 40% of the energy demand.
• Oil demand has been falling quickly since 2013.
• The country is expected to fully commission a 900 MW hydro project in 2021.
• Switzerland reinforced its central position in Europe through gas pipeline reversal projects across its territory.

• Institutions & Energy Policy

  The Swiss energy sector is highly decentralised and comprises three levels of organisation and decision-making: federal, cantonal and municipal. The federal State addresses energy issues at a national level such as carbon taxation, nuclear energy, energy efficiencies standards, oil and gas infrastructures as well as the power transmission grid.

• Energy Companies

  Electricity:

  The electricity sector is highly fragmented, with 900 companies, the vast majority of which are publicly owned (more than 85% of the capital of power utilities is held by the cantons and towns). The three most important vertically integrated companies (Überlandwerke) are Alpiq, Axpo and BKW.

• Energy Supply

  Gas:

  Switzerland does not produce natural gas. Natural gas imports have fluctuated between 3.2 bcm/year and 3.8 bcm/year since 2005, depending on the weather conditions (+3% in 2019). Imports come from Germany (93%) and Russia (7%). Switzerland has 12 interconnection points.

• Energy Prices

  Gas:

  The price of gas for the regulated market is set by local authorities and varies quite significantly between the different cantons. In 2019, gas prices for industry declined by 4%, following a 16% increase in 2018, while gas prices for households increased by 8%.

• Energy Consumption

  Total energy consumption per capita is 2.8 toe, i.e. 10% below the European average, including 6 700 kWh/cap (22% higher than the European average) (2019).

  After dropping by 4%/year between 2013 and 2016, total consumption increased slightly as of 2017 (less than 1%/year) to 24 Mtoe in 2019.

• Issues & Prospects

  The Energy Strategy 2050 aims for final average energy consumption per capita to drop by 16% by 2020, 43% by 2035 and by 54% by 2050. The share of electricity in final energy consumption is expected to increase from 25% in 2010 to 39% in 2050, while that of oil should drop from 52% in 2010 to 25% in 2050.

• GENERAL OVERVIEW
• INSTITUTIONS AND ENERGY POLICY
• ENERGY COMPANIES
• ENERGY SUPPLY
• ENERGY PRICES
• ENERGY CONSUMPTION
• ISSUES AND PROSPECTS
• DATA TABLES
• ABBREVIATIONS
• GLOSSARY

Download the Table of Contents

Below is a list of the Switzerland energy market report graphs:

• GRAPH 1: CO₂-energy emissions (MtCO₂)
• GRAPH 2: Installed electric capacity by source (2019, %)
• GRAPH 3: Gross power production by source (TWh)
• GRAPH 4: Power generation by source (2019, %)
• GRAPH 5: Gasoline & diesel prices (€/l)
• GRAPH 6: Electricity prices for industry and households (€c/kWh)
• GRAPH 7: Gas prices for industry and households (€c/kWh GCV)
• GRAPH 8: Consumption trends by energy source (Mtoe)
• GRAPH 9: Total consumption market share by energy (2019, %)
• GRAPH 10: Final consumption market share by sector (2019, %)
• GRAPH 11: Oil consumption (Mt)
• GRAPH 12: Oil consumption breakdown by sector (2019, %)
• GRAPH 13: Electricity consumption (TWh)
• GRAPH 14: Electricity consumption breakdown by sector (2019, %)
• GRAPH 15: Natural gas consumption (bcm)
• GRAPH 16: Gas consumption breakdown by sector (2019, %)
• GRAPH 17: Coal consumption (Mt)
• GRAPH 18: Coal consumption breakdown by sector (2019, %)

In the Switzerland energy market report you will find the following tables:

• Economic Indicators: Annual historical data including population, GDP growth, imports and exports, inflation rate, energy security and efficiency indicators, CO₂ emissions.
• Supply Indicators: Historical data including oil and gas reserves, electric and refining capacity, energy production, power production and external trade. All are detailed by energy source.
• Demand Indicators: Historical data including consumption per inhabitant, consumption trends, total consumption by energy source, final consumption by energy source and sector, and electricity consumption by sector.
• Energy Balances: Single table displaying the overall energy industry balance per annum, also graphically displayed by energy sub-segment.
• Infrastructure Projects: Covers power plant projects by energy, technology, status and operator.

The Switzerland country dashboards are complemented with country forecasts from EnerFuture (excel file) with scenario comparison.

Data included in the excelsheet:

• Demand: Primary energy consumption, final energy consumption, by fuel, by sector.
• Power: Electricity generation & capacities, by technology.
• CO₂: Total CO₂ emissions.
• Macro-economy: Main macro-economic assumptions.
• Key indicators: Energy intensity, share of renewables, CO₂ emissions per capita and per unit of GDP.