What role does hydropower play in the Swiss electricity system?

Thanks to its flexibility and storage options at multi-ple scales, from milliseconds to seasons, hydropower is the backbone of the Swiss electricity system. Keep-ing its central role would foster the integration of volatile renewable energy resources like photovoltaics and wind.

How can Swiss hydropower improve grid stability?

Contrary, retreating glaciers and increasing need for multipur-pose use such as irrigation present new opportunities for Swiss hydropower. Additionally, on-going research activities help to increase hydropower flexibility, thereby improving grid stability.

What role does hp play in Switzerland's electricity system?

HP plays a central role in Switzerland’s electricity system and accordingly also in its electricity market and policy setting. Supplying more than 50 % of Switzerland’s electricity, HP is a central pillar of the envisioned electricity transition.

Will hydropower grow in the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050?

In order to compensate the vanishing nuclear generation, hydropower is supposed to grow in the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050. While hydropower shows great benefits and ecological strengths such as high efficiencies and very low CO2,eq per unit of electricity generated, it does have impacts on the aquatic environment.

What is the hydropower generation and storage potential?

Herein, the hydropower generation and storage potential in three scenarios, from lower-bound to upper-bound, is summarized. In the upper-bound scenario the expected annual generation of 39.1 TWh/a slightly exceeds the target of 38.6 TWh/a as defined by the Swiss energy strategy 2050.

How much energy did Swiss nuclear power plants import in 2016/17?

In the winter 2016/17, when the generation of the Swiss nuclear power plants was pronouncedly below average, the net import of 10 TWh represented even 39% of the domestic net generation in the winter half year (SFOE, 2019b).