Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) have jointly set a new world record for converting non-concentrated sunlight ("1-sun") into electricity using a dual-junction III-V/Si solar cell.

The new, officially certified record efficiency of 29.8 % was achieved by using an upper cell of gallium indium phosphide from NREL and a lower cell of crystalline silicon produced by CSEM using heterojunction technology. The two cells were fabricated separately and then overlaid and connected by NREL.

The NREL/CSEM record was published in the latest issue of "Solar cell efficiency tables." "In the category of mechanically connected cells, this is a record," said David Young, senior researcher at NREL. "The performance of the dual-junction cell exceeds the theoretical 29.4 % limit for crystalline silicon solar cell (single-junction) efficiency." Young is co-author of an article titled "Realization of GaInP/Si dual-junction solar cells with 29.8 percent one-sun efficiency," which describes the steps taken to break the old record. The article has been submitted for publication in the IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics.

Stephanie Essig, a researcher at NREL, gave a presentation titled "Progress Towards a 30% Efficient GaInP/Si Tandem Solar Cell" at the 5th International Conference on Silicon Photovoltaics in March 2015 in Konstanz, Germany, which caught the interest of CSEM. "We are convinced that silicon heterojunction technology is the most efficient silicon technology today for use in tandem solar cells," said Christophe Ballif, head of photovoltaic activities at CSEM. "CSEM and NREL scientists have demonstrated that it is possible to produce 30% efficiency tandem cells that combine a bottom heterojunction cell with a high performance top cell, such as the one produced by NREL," explains Matthieu Despeisse, head of crystalline silicon activities at CSEM.

Essig notes that a new dual-junction solar cell design and the inclusion of CSEM were key to the record. These first joint results also show that an efficiency of more than 31 % can be achieved by combining NREL and CSEM cells. The work was supported by " the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Sunshot initiative ", the Swiss Confederation and the Nano-Tera program.

On behalf of the pro Aqua-pro Vita Foundation, the expert jury headed by Prof. Dr. Rainer Bunge nominated three outstanding projects from numerous submissions in the "Innovation" category for the 2016 Swiss Environmental Award. The projects of BS2 AG, CSEM SA and FluidSolids AG impressed the jury with their high degree of innovation, resource conservation and environmental relevance. The announcement of the winners - also in the category "Ecopreneur" - will take place on January 12, 2016 during Swissbau in Basel.
The Environmental Award of Switzerland is one of the most valuable environmental prizes in Switzerland, worth 50,000 Swiss francs, and is awarded every two years by the pro Aqua-pro Vita Foundation. The renowned jury around President Prof. Dr. Rainer Bunge, himself an innovator and researcher with a chair for environmental and process engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil, was allowed to nominate three candidates for the category "Innovation" from numerous high-quality submissions. It is very gratifying that the steadily growing awareness of a careful approach to our environment is once again evident in the 2016 Environmental Award.

In terms of the degree of innovation, the concrete environmental benefits and the development status of the projects, the expert jury nominated three very different products and processes.

FluidSolids AG
With its ecological and physical properties, FluidSolids, a bioplastic developed in Switzerland, has market conquest potential. Unlike other bioplastics, no food is used in its production - FluidSolids is made from the residues of renewable resources. The material lends itself to a wide range of products that are currently still made from metal, wood and, above all, petroleum-based plastics. The highly adaptable material can be processed using both traditional industrial mass production methods and the pioneering technology of 3D printing. Great potential lies in its biodegradability, which represents a solution to the global plastic waste problem.

CSEM SA
For decades, architects have been demanding new solutions for the visual integration of PV elements in buildings. The color white is of particular interest, as it is elegant and versatile to combine and looks fresh. The company CSEM SA has now developed a new technology to realize solar modules without visible cells and connections. This combines a solar cell technology that converts infrared radiation in sunlight into electricity with a diffusing filter that scatters the entire visible light spectrum, but transmits infrared light. Any PV technology based on crystalline silicon can now be used to produce white - and colored - solar modules. The technology can be applied to an existing module as well as integrated into a new module during manufacturing.

BS2 Zelegancy
The Zeleganz building technology system heats, cools and ventilates rooms and provides hot water. This is all done CO2-free, with costs over the entire life cycle being lower than for many years of operation with oil heating. Zeleganz's innovation lies in both the systemic approach and the components. The low-lift heat pump with integrated system control is highly efficient, and the coaxial membrane geothermal probe is suitable for seasonal heat storage at depths of up to 450 m and also in groundwater protection areas. PVT hybrid collectors in individually prefabricated roof elements increase the design scope. The required heat and operating electricity are produced CO2-free all year round. The small pumps of the active heating circuit distributor control heating and cooling according to demand, and the decentralized ventilation system saves space and increases living comfort. As the system is suitable for new buildings, but also in particular for the gentle refurbishment of existing buildings, it offers considerable climate protection potential. Around 85% of the Swiss building stock could thus be operated CO2-free.

Ecopreneur - Recognition Award for Entrepreneurs
In January, the Swiss Environmental Award will also be presented in the "Ecopreneur" category. The award is given to an entrepreneur who has achieved visible success in the market through his or her sustainable and long-standing commitment to environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony. This year's Ecopreneur comes from the construction industry - so you can be curious!

Announcement of the winners and awarding of the prizes at Swissbau 2016
The award ceremony will take place on January 12, 2016 at 5:30 pm at Swissbau in Basel, Hall 1.0 South, Swissbau Focus. During the award ceremony, Stefan Zanetti, CEO and Founder of the company qipp, will give a keynote speech entitled: "Digitally sustainable building". Further information and registration: www.swissbau.ch/focus

Swiss watercourses are full of cross-obstacles. The report "Structures of Watercourses in Switzerland" (Federal Office for the Environment, 2009) identified a need for revitalization of 10,800 kilometers of watercourses and 50,000 artificial obstacles. The Rhine catchment studied by Alexandre Gouskov and his team for the Eawag study "Fish population genetic structure shaped by hydroelectric power plants in the upper Rhine catchment" includes 37 hydropower plants, two weirs and the Rhine Falls. Six of the artificial barriers were not equipped with fish ladders at the time of sampling.

For statistical reasons, researchers took samples at 47 sites. For each sampling site, they typically took about 50 eel out of the water using electrofishing. The animals were gently anesthetized, measured and released back into the wild after a small tissue sample was taken from the tail fin. "The sampling effort for this study was enormous compared to other research," says Eawag staff member and ETH professor Christoph Vorburger, indirectly complimenting Alexandre Gouskov. The study was his doctoral thesis and was largely funded by the Federal Office for the Environment, Eawag and ETH Zurich.

Barrier effect reduced from 100 to 12 kilometers

It is known from previous studies that insurmountable barriers severely affect the genetic population structure of fish. In the worst case, isolation can lead to the extinction of a population. That's why more and more power plants and other obstacles are being equipped with fish ladders for fish. "Of course, we now know that many fish also use these ladders," says Gouskov, "but the question of whether fish ladders actually have a positive effect on connectivity and genetic diversity of fish populations has not yet been studied."

Based on the genetic studies, the researchers have now been able to show that the fish ladders actually improve genetic exchange. An artificial barrier without a fish ladder has a similar effect on the genetic differentiation of fish as a distance of around 100 kilometers in an unobstructed river. In contrast, for barriers equipped with fish ladders, the equivalent is only about 12 kilometers.

According to Gouskov, this shows that fish ladders improve the connectivity of separate fish populations. However, even with fish ladders, power plants have a significant effect on the genetic differentiation of the alet. Looking at other fish species, this finding takes on additional weight, because many of them are less able to overcome fish ladders than the alet and are thus more affected by fragmentation.

"Our results show that it makes sense to continue the revitalization measures started in recent years," says Alexandre Gouskov. "More, but also better quality fish passes are needed to better protect the species." Depending on their construction, fish passes are used more or less frequently. Compared to simple concrete stairs, bypass channels, for example, perform much better. "Many fish passes have tremendous potential for improvement," Gouskov says. During fieldwork for this study, he was able to observe the effect of such an improvement measure with his own eyes: The Rheinfelden power plant commissioned a near-natural structured bypass watercourse with a large discharge. Already in the first season, about 40,000 fish of 33 different fish species rose in it. "That's gratifying, because that's significantly more than with conventional fish ladders," says Gouskov.

(Eawag)

The current KPMG restructuring survey of more than 80 Swiss companies from various industries has revealed that over a third see a deterioration in Switzerland as a business location compared with the previous year.

The main drivers of these negative developments are the current strength of the Swiss franc and high price pressure. A possible termination of the bilateral agreements is feared by 73 percent of companies as having a negative impact on their business. The survey shows what impact the abolition of the minimum euro exchange rate has had on Swiss companies.

71 percent of the companies surveyed assess the effects of the current strength of the Swiss franc as negative and 16 percent even as threatening to their existence.

This applies in particular to business models where revenues are generated abroad and (personnel) costs are incurred domestically (including tourism). Where differentiation fails to materialize, the lack of competitiveness inevitably affects profit margins.

Pessimism vs. competition

From the perspective of the respondents, a potential termination of the bilateral agreements with the EU poses a similar threat: 59 percent fear a negative impact on their company, while 14 percent even consider a termination of the bilateral agreements to be a threat to their existence.

In line with the previous statements on the availability of personnel, the significance of the mass immigration initiative for competitiveness was also clear here.

Although 56 percent of respondents view the initiative approved by the people as negative for their company, only 2 percent believe that the initiative will threaten their existence in the long term.

The complete study can be found at the following link:

kpmg.ch/restructuring

How do I lead healthily? How do I recognize declining performance among my employees? What does effective absence management look like? And how do I work together with insurers, IV offices and doctors? Compasso offers comprehensive information and practical materials on all these questions. These can be found on the likewise revised online portal of the association

The new information portal was inaugurated at the Compasso event "Mentally impaired employees - challenged employers". It was important to raise awareness among employers and managers so that they would deal openly with mental illness, turn to external supporters in good time and work closely with them.

"Early detection is an investment"

Streit used the example of a construction company with 30 employees to show that it is worthwhile for SMEs to invest in the health of their employees and to make use of Compasso's tools: "With an absenteeism rate of 3.7 percent, the company incurs direct and indirect costs of CHF 214,000 per year. Prevention and early detection measures reduce the absence rate by 20 percent, which corresponds to a cost reduction of 42,840 francs annually."

Denise Camenisch, Head of Care Management and Benefits Corporate at Helsana AG, agreed with this statement: "Early detection is an investment that pays off when an employee has a substantial or chronic illness." Helsana has therefore developed "StayWell," a tool that employees can use to assess and manage their professional, personal and financial situation. The focus is on the health of employees and their ability to perform and remain on the labor market.

External assistance

In addition to Compasso, the cantonal IV offices also offer assistance. They advise, support and inform affected employers. Stefan Ritler from the Federal Social Insurance Office nevertheless sees a need for reform in the IV: "The rate of new pensioners is decreasing, but not for the mentally ill and young people. In order for the professional integration of these target groups to succeed better, these people must be supported even better in the future.

According to Ritler, this also includes improved coordination of the players involved and increased support for employers - two points that Compasso has also taken up.

compasso.ch

From January 1, 2016, private customers in the canton of Zurich will only be able to buy green electricity from the socket as standard. This was decided by the cantonal council two years ago. If someone wants nuclear power, they must explicitly request this.

The energy suppliers in the canton have already adapted to the new regulations for the most part: For example, Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich (EKZ) already switched to standard ecological products at the beginning of 2015. The basic product consists mainly of hydropower, and those who want to can increase the proportion of solar and bioenergy. Nuclear power is no longer available at all. The Elektrizitätswerke der Stadt Zürich (EKZ) also now only offers renewable energy. Anyone who wants to can also participate directly in solar plants or purchase electricity from the Letten power plant in the city itself.

It is now clear that the concession for an increase in the Grimsel dam will not be granted with the constitutional peatland protection is compatible, write the Grimselverein, WWF and Pro Natura in a joint media release. The environmental associations are relieved about this decision, with which the court protects the moors and the Moorland at the Grimsel against flooding and thus support the protection of peatlands throughout Switzerland. Moors, of which only a few remain in Switzerland, are particularly valuable habitats for rare animal and plant species worthy of protection. If the destruction of the mire landscape at the Grimsel had been permitted, this would have undermined mire protection throughout Switzerland, it continues.

From an environmental point of view, the renunciation of the reservoir enlargement of the Oberhasli power plants (Info from the KWO) no loss. This is because, according to Pro Natura, the dam increase would not produce any additional electricity. The intended shift of production from summer to winter would affect only a small fraction of Switzerland's annual electricity consumption, the organization writes. According to KWO, the larger reservoir would have allowed the water to be better used for electricity production throughout the year.

Finally, the environmental associations emphasize that storage capacities in Switzerland have been expanded more than enough elsewhere and are still being expanded.

The need for action is already being realized with the instruments already in place and with the measures of the new "Federal Administration Personnel Strategy 2016 - 2019". Among other things, the following projects fall under the strategy: "Work-life balance" awareness campaign, mobile working, implementation of specialist careers, focus on "psychosocial risks in occupational health management". For this reason, according to a report from November 2015, the federal administration will refrain from adopting additional, nationwide measures.

Based on the results of the "Staff Survey 2014", the administrative units have already initiated the implementation of a large number of division-specific measures, such as the introduction of knowledge monitoring, a periodic newsletter or an e-mail policy. These introductions focus on the following topics: Workflows and decision-making processes, leadership, information and communication, knowledge transfer, work-life balance.

(Source: Federal Department of Finance)

The study analyzed 400 idea generators. At the top of the global (English-language) ranking are, for example, Pope Francis, the Turkish author Orhan Pamuk, and Edward Snowden. Snowden and the Pope are also high up on the ranking list in German-speaking countries. In general, there are hardly any German native speakers at the top of the list. Instead, the lower half of the ranking brings together thinkers who are not well-known outside the language borders.

First time with China and Spain

The index has been calculated since 2012 using an analysis of collective intelligence developed by MIT researcher Peter Gloor. This year, in addition to the English and German language areas, the index also includes the Chinese and Spanish language areas for the first time. The Chinese language area, in turn, is clearly divided into two infospheres:

The non-Chinese conversation in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the diaspora is comparable to that in the global sphere. Inside the country, however, President Xi Jinping and Alibaba CEO Jack Ma are the weightiest voices; foreign thinkers are absent here. China's strategy of restricted access to the Internet, marked by censorship and firewalls, obviously shapes the list.

The leading media

Media continue to play a crucial role in the dissemination of ideas. The networking chart of the thought leaders in the English-language blogosphere clearly shows which are the most important. Of the five most important media or sources, two are traditional protagonists of global discourse - the British Guardian and the New York Times.

Two others, Twitter and Youtube, are considered more protagonists of the global conversation, the fifth of the most important media, the Huffington Post, occupies an intermediate position between fast and important. Nominated Thought Leaders 2015 were "The WorldPost" / "Huffington Post" as well as "El Pais", "Univision", "Fusion", "Guancha" and "The European".

The nominees' relevance in the global conversation was calculated on the basis of their mentions on Wikipedia, in tweets and in blogs. The "Global Thought Leader Index 2015" is published in the 15 international editions of the "Huffington Post," among others.

Details about the "Global Thought Leaders Index 2015" can be found on the English site:

http://thoughtleaders.world

Daniel Roscher has served as director of Suva's Zurich agency since 1997. With 130 employees, the Zurich agency looks after 8100 companies with a premium volume of around CHF 300 million per year.

At the proposal of Suva's Board of Directors, the Federal Council has now elected Daniel Roscher to Suva's Executive Board. He will take over as Head of the Insurance Benefits and Rehabilitation Department on January 1, 2016. In this role, he will be responsible for claims management at Switzerland's largest accident insurer. The division also includes the two rehabilitation clinics in Bellikon (AG) and Sion (VS). Roscher is also responsible for military insurance, which Suva manages on behalf of the Swiss Confederation, and for part of the agency network.

The SUVA Executive Board (as of January 1, 2016) :

Felix Weber, Chief Executive Officer and Head of the Leadership and Support Department

Ernst Mäder, Head of the Finance Department and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board

Edouard Currat, Head of Health Protection Department

Daniel Roscher, Head of Insurance Services and Rehabilitation Department

www.suva.ch

The proportion of executives who expect to have to increasingly compete against competitors from outside their industry has risen by more than a quarter in the last two years - from 43 percent in 2013 to 54 percent today. For the study, "Redefining Boundaries: Insights from the Global C-suite Study," some 5,200 CEOs, CMOs, CFOs and CIOs from public and private companies in 21 industries were surveyed in over 70 countries.

The buzzword is industry convergence: According to the study, more and more CxOs rate the convergence of industries as the defining factor influencing their businesses over the next three to five years. After all, 24 percent of executives from companies rated as high performers want to use cognitive technologies. Their predictive as well as cognitive analytics methods help predict with greater certainty what will happen in the competitive landscape, according to the study.

Avoid the unknown

For a long time, those new players who wanted to secure more market share with more favorable offers were considered the greatest risk for traditional companies. This is different today: Today, established companies are increasingly being squeezed by new market players with completely new, mostly digital, business models or by smaller, more agile competitors.

The changed framework conditions also have an impact on management in the companies: For example, nearly half (48 percent) of CxOs see the need to strengthen their decentralized decision-making, 54 percent are looking to innovate outside their companies, and 70 percent plan to expand their partner networks.

On the other hand, a majority of CxOs are confident that the way they deal with customers will actually change in the future: Two-thirds of those surveyed expect the focus to shift more to the customer as an individual - an increase of 22 percent since 2013 - and 81 percent are planning more digital interaction.

New technologies  

The CxOs' assessment of the importance of new technologies has also changed: Whereas in the last three CxO studies it was only the CEOs who rated technology as the most important external force with the greatest influence on their business, this time all top managers without exception share this opinion.

For example, respondents believe that cloud computing, mobile solutions, the Internet of Things, and cognitive computing have the greatest potential to revolutionize their businesses.

Another topic is IT security, which played a subordinate role two years ago. Today, it is considered the "number one" business risk by 68 percent of respondents.

To read the entire IBM Global C-Suite Study, visit: www-935.ibm.com/services/c-suite/study/

www.ibm.com

On 18 November 2015, the Federal Council elected Adrian Lobsiger as the new Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC). He is to succeed Hanspeter Thür, who is leaving office at the end of November 2015 after more than 14 years in office. During the transition period, Hanspeter Thür's deputy Jean-Philippe Walter will manage the affairs of the FDPIC.

Adrian Lobsiger is currently Deputy Director of the Federal Office of Police (fedpol). As Head of the Staff Division and the associated Legal and Data Protection Service, he helps to ensure that personal data in the Federal Office's information systems is processed in compliance with the law, particularly in dealings with domestic and foreign authorities. This core task in terms of data protection also includes drawing up the legal framework for IT projects and the use of new information technologies, as well as providing information in accordance with the Data Protection Act and the Public Information Act.

FDPIC independent?

The FDPIC is elected for a term of four years. He exercises his function independently and without instructions from any authority. He reports periodically and as required to the Federal Assembly and simultaneously transmits these reports to the Federal Council. The FDPIC is administratively attached to the Federal Chancellery (FC). The election procedure is governed by the "Federal Council directives of 28 November 2014 on the election of senior management by the Federal Council".