Climate change is menacing our planet. A major step in countering the dangers arising from global warming is the Kyoto Protocol, an international UNO agreement on climate protection under the umbrella of the UNFCCC. This agreement, which Switzerland also signed in 1997, prescribes binding goals for the reduction of so-called greenhouse gases, commonly acknowledged as a major cause of global warming. The increase in the Earth's atmosphere of these gases, which include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and the ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFCs), is mainly attributed to human activities. While political establishments continue to argue the issue, science is busy looking for concrete solutions. The ETH Board (1) demonstrated this quite clearly at the Hanover Fair (2) with its theme "Energy technology for people and the environment".

The ETH domain’s extensive exhibition stand attracted many interested visitors large

Focus on sustainability

"The global spread of our hyper-mobile and energy-guzzling civilisation calls for environmentally-friendly technologies to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. One of the main concerns of all six institutions belonging to the ETH domain is sustainability in technological development," said Ralph Eichler, ETH Professor of Physics, ETH Board member and Director of the PSI, opening his presentation in Hanover of the ETH domain and the new competence centre "Energy and sustainable mobility". With pioneering inter- and transdisciplinary activities, the institutions in "thinking Switzerland" have taken the initiative in the sustainable shaping of tomorrow's civilization.

Professor Ralph Eichler showing politicians, ETH Board members and media representatives around the ETH's exhibition at the Hanover Fair 2005. gross large

This process is aided by the "Novatlantis network" (3), which applies the findings and results of recent ETH domain research to projects promoting sustainable development in major urban centres. According to director Roland Stulzsetze, Novatlantis’s programme "2000-watt society" aims at a world that can make do with a third of today's energy consumption while simultaneously increasing the quality of our lives. "With the use of new, highly efficient technologies and a network of prominent partners recruited from science, industry and politics a vision is to be realised, step by step." Visitors to the Fair were able to see for themselves how much energy every person uses and where savings could be made.

Four of the six institutions of the ETH domain were represented in Hanover: the ETH Zurich, EPF Lausanne, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) (4) and the Federal Institute for Materials Science and Technology, (EMPA) (5). The occasion was also used to present the Swiss Technology Award 2005 (6).

Scientists discuss individual projects on display competently and frankly: here Andreas Z'Graggen, PhD student from the ETH Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering. large

Solar hydrogen and energy systems

In collaboration with the PSI, researchers at the ETH Zurich Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (7) have developed a thermochemical circulatory system which uses concentrated solar radiation as an energy source for high-temperature process heat for the efficient production of hydrogen. This two-tiered circulatory process is based on ZnO-redox reactions and has the potential for high-energy conversion levels of over 40 percent.

Although much work is being done on processes that use solar radiation and water to produce solar energy cells, it will be some time before these new technologies find widespread use and commercial exploitation. The chances are good, however, that solar thermochemical technologies will be able to compete with conventional, fossil-based energy carriers if the external costs of fossil fuels are taken into account, explains Aldo Steinfeld, professor at the Institute of Energy Technology at the ETH Zurich and head of the PSI's Solar Technology Laboratory. "Research in the field of high-temperature solar chemistry at the ETH and PSI combines fundamental physical and chemical studies with technological methods for the development of solar chemical reactors. The long-term goal is the development of a fuel that can be produced using clean, globally available and sustainable energy resources."

Researchers at the EPF Lausanne

, on the other hand, are working on a new concept of highly efficient energy conversion, and have developed an integrated energy system. In Hanover they demonstrated how solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) transform chemical energy – also present in organic fuel – quietly and efficiently into electric and thermic energy. In another project the Lausanne scientists have developed electric heat pumps which run on oil-free, rapidly rotating turbo-compressors and represent an efficient alternative to oil-fired heating systems.

Biomass as a reservoir

The PSI’s contribution is framed by its statement that "biomass is a natural reservoir of solar energy, which can be stored artificially by means of thermochemical processes." Important here is that the cycle of storing, transport and use of solar energy is driven by a closed cycle. PSI collaborates with other research centres, universities and industrial partners in its efforts to produce methane from organic matter and hydrogen with the help of solar chemistry. Methane and hydrogen combined could serve to fuel stationary energy installations, besides covering our mobility requirements.

Ceramic materials

Fuel cells will remain components of future electricity production, say experts from EMPA. While natural gas and petrol provide their energy today, for these cells the SOFCs mentioned above are now the focus of interest. They are manufactured from ceramic materials and metal and can function at temperatures exceeding 700°C. As a materials research institution, EMPA develops ceramic materials and collaborates with industry and science in the production of made-to-measure powders and shaping methods. Together with its partners EMPA optimises ceramic materials for a variety of applications.

The ETH Board has for the past five years promoted the technology transfer among the ETH domain institutes and supported the dissemination of its knowledge by exhibiting at the Hanover Fair. Scientists were please to note the great interest shown by the Fair’s visitors in the ETH domain’s contribution.