The energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine does not prompt the Swiss to take immediate measures. It’s summer, it’s hot, if we tell them now how to save energy, “no one will understand”explains Swiss Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga.
And it is true that for the moment, everything is fine. In Switzerland, a large part of the electricity comes from hydropower. It is therefore in winter that the country needs gas, on which it is entirely dependent. Gas is used for heating. As Switzerland has no storage capacity, efforts will have to be made at some point.
For the moment, concern is displayed in words but not in deeds. The federal government will launch a campaign on energy conservation in a few weeks, he is working on it. Switzerland does not yet have a large-scale consumption reduction plan, like the European Union. All member states have for some days now been trying to cut 15%. Such an act would be “definitely wise”, according to the Swiss Minister of Energy. But it leaves the role of deciding to the Federal Council. She suggests limiting heating in public buildings. Germany and Spain have already announced such measures for this winter.
Can Europe help Switzerland? She could, but she doesn’t want to. An electricity agreement with the European Union would make things easier. But since Switzerland left discussions in 2021 on the framework agreement which was to homogenize and facilitate bilateral agreements between the 27 and Switzerland, Brussels has been blocked. Switzerland is therefore trying to negotiate bilateral agreements, particularly with Germany and Italy. So-called “solidarity” agreements which can only be activated in the event of a shortage. These two countries are strategic because the gas pipeline that connects them crosses Switzerland. The worst-case scenario was anticipated. In an interview that angered Italy, Simonetta Sommaruga explained that she could divert part of the gas pipeline. A measure that is included in a clause of the contract in the event of a shortage.
The Swiss authorities are therefore preparing for the worst. But not without losing their humor. One of the heads of the electricity sector asked the Swiss to prepare for winter by buying… candles. Power cuts could occur in the coming months.
The winter tourism sector is worried. The ski areas are in the sights. “According to figures from Swiss ski lifts, the umbrella association, butt lifts, gondolas, snow cannons and even catering need 183 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year to operate. This figure roughly corresponds to the consumption 30,000 to 40,000 households per year.”, estimates Marius Schwarz, researcher at the Energy Science Center of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Compared to the total consumption on Swiss soil, it is however less than 1%”, notes the newspaper. Blick.
We will have to see what the economic and social consequences would be of a partial closure of the ski areas, which bring a lot to Switzerland. The country knows how to tighten its belt. In 1973, in the midst of the oil crisis, Switzerland decreed three car-free Sundays.