Business Day Swissmechanic 2022: Solutions needed, not buzzwords
Are we in for a shortage this winter? Is a blackout looming? Will astronomical energy prices break the back of our SMEs and trigger a recession? How is Switzerland preparing? The uncertainty is great, the questions numerous.
Swissmechanic, the employers' association for SMEs in the mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and metalworking industries, took an in-depth look at the hot topic of "ENERGY - Is Switzerland running out of electricity?" at its traditional Business Day on September 6. Top-class experts - experienced luminaries in their fields - examined the topic of energy and the environment from their own specific perspective. "At the moment, politicians, parties and associations are showering each other with accusations, recriminations and wild demands. There is a hot argument about who has been too opportunistic or too careless and who can be assigned the scapegoat. But we don't need buzzwords now that trigger a media response but provide little knowledge and hardly any solutions. We need clear facts so that we can find solutions that work in reality," criticized Jürg Marti, Director of Swissmechanic, in his welcoming speech.
Criticism of Europe's climate policy
National economist and financial scientist Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Sinn, one of Germany's most important minds and winner of numerous awards, spoke about the climate problem and the Swiss energy transition. His conclusion: "The climate cannot be protected without concluding and monitoring binding global agreements. Europe's unilateralism on climate policy will undermine the competitiveness of its industries, initiate economic decline and discourage other countries from following the European, especially the German, path."
What to do in the event of a crisis
Werner Meier, a graduate electrical engineer from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), who has already worked for several companies in the energy sector and has been the Delegate for National Economic Supply since 2016, explained the hazards and the way in which the National Economic Supply intervenes.
Dr. Suzanne Thoma, a graduate chemical engineer (ETH Zurich), doctor of technical sciences, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sulzer AG and previously CEO of BKW AG for nine years, warned: Switzerland's energy supply is more than 60 percent dependent on foreign countries (oil and gas), and the move away from fossil fuels will lead to further demand for electricity. Sufficient power at any time during the day requires additional power sources or power imports. At times, there is a shortfall of up to 7 GW. Thoma spoke of a "trilemma" in Swiss electricity policy. This has three main problems: limited imports (greatly reduced capacity in France, lack of gas for German gas-fired power plants, no EU electricity agreement), rising electricity consumption and limited expansion possibilities. A massive expansion of solar energy would not solve the problem sufficiently. Controllable gas-fired power plants as a transitional solution are a "must". Investment incentives must be set, the blockade mentality for expansion projects must be overcome and the situation with Europe must be clarified, because energy is relevant to security. "There is no such thing as a fiver and a dime with any energy strategy," Thoma explained in the discussion round.
Political talk at the Swissmechanic Business Day
Thierry Burkart, lawyer and party president of the FDP, represented the viewpoint of a liberal energy policy at a political talk with moderator Claudia Steinmann, editor-in-chief of Tele Z. With regard to a possible phase-out of nuclear energy, Burkart advocated a sequential approach: first, guaranteeing the security of electricity supply in the short term, decarbonization in the medium term, and the nuclear energy discussion only in the long term. Burkart also pointed out that Switzerland would have to do its own homework in terms of complete liberalization of the electricity market before considering an electricity agreement with the EU. Burkart concluded the subsequent discussion with the Swissmechanic audience with the statement: "You are systemically relevant, you are too many to fail!"
Safe modern nuclear power plants
Dr. Marc Kenzelmann, Director of the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) since 2020, presented the nuclear power plants of the current four generations and their safety systems to those present. While a serious accident occurs statistically every 200 to 2,000 years in power plants of the currently predominant generation two (with 500 reactors worldwide), reactors of generation three are ten times safer (one serious accident every 20,000 years), mainly thanks to passive safety systems. When asked about radiation exposure, Kenzelmann, who is from the canton of Valais, explained that the natural radiation in his home canton is the same as the current radiation exposure in areas around Fukushima that are still closed today.
International coordination is missing
Daniel Büchel, Vice Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and Program Manager of SwissEnergy, gave an overview of the current energy situation and short- and longer-term measures for coping with an electricity and gas shortage. The challenge in Europe, Büchel said, is that while all countries are simultaneously engaged in the energy transition, they are not coordinating among themselves. Finally, Büchel addressed energy issues that affect SMEs in the MEM sector and showed the areas in which the federal government supports companies in implementing energy-saving measures.
The Business Day was framed by numerous exhibitors who presented their latest developments, first of all on the topic of energy. The entrepreneurs present took the opportunity to exchange ideas and ask the speakers critical questions.
Source and further information: Swissmechanic
