Climate Foundation Switzerland looks back on a groundbreaking year

Making an important contribution to the net-zero climate targets of Switzerland and Liechtenstein and strengthening the business location by promoting climate protection innovations among SMEs. This is the goal of the Swiss Climate Foundation. Since 2009, the foundation has supported local SMEs in implementing climate protection projects. New projects have also been added in 2021: 2.4 million Swiss francs were granted by the foundation last year. These will go to around 100 SMEs in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Overall, the activity of the Foundation has always grown.

Innovations are the focus of funding

A large part of the funding, 1.7 million Swiss francs, also flowed into innovations in 2021. A total of 19 innovative climate protection projects received a commitment from the Swiss Climate Foundation. These include, for example, a battery made of common salt: The salt batteries of the Meiringen-based KMU Battery Consult consist of non-critical and readily available materials, have a long service life and can be recycled economically. The Swiss Climate Foundation is supporting their development with 150,000 Swiss francs. Also the Cyltronic AG is now receiving funding from the foundation: The Winterthur-based startup is developing a new type of electric cylinder as an alternative to compressed air that can save a considerable amount of energy in industry. ExerGo from Sion, on the other hand, is working on an innovative concept for district heating and cooling in cities. The highly efficient system can save up to 90% CO₂-emissions.

Energy efficiency programs terminated

A further 0.7 million Swiss francs were allocated to energy efficiency projects in 2021: With this, the foundation supported concrete measures by SMEs to save energy in their own operations. In addition, it contributed to the costs of energy consultations with the act Cleantech Agency Switzerland and the Energy Agency for Industry EnAW. Both energy efficiency programs of the Swiss Climate Foundation expired as planned in 2021. In the future, the foundation will focus its funding exclusively on the area of innovation. This is where it sees the greatest leverage: "By promoting innovation, our funds have maximum impact in terms of achieving the climate targets," says Foundation Board President Thomas Hügli. "New solutions are needed to decarbonize the economy, especially in the construction and recyclables industries, mobility and agriculture. We are doing our part by providing even greater support for innovative technologies and projects in these areas."

How the Swiss Climate Foundation is financed

The commitment of the Swiss Climate Foundation is made possible thanks to 26 service companies from Switzerland and Liechtenstein: each year, the partner companies donate the money they receive from the redistribution of CO₂-The joint foundation uses this money to finance climate protection projects run by SMEs. Since summer 2021, new partners have joined the Swiss Climate Foundation in the form of Baloise, Zug Cantonal Bank, Mobiliar, Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) and LGT Capital Partners. It is open to other interested companies that would like to support the foundation as partners and thus make a concrete contribution to climate protection in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Source and further information The post Climate Foundation Switzerland looks back on a groundbreaking year appeared first on Organizer.