Energy
Nanotubes illuminate the way to living photovoltaics
Research
EPFL
Scientists at EPFL have gotten bacteria to spontaneously take up fluorescent carbon nanotubes for the first time. The breakthrough unlocks new biotechnology applications for prokaryotes, such as near-infrared bacteria tracking and “living photovoltaics” – devices that generate energy using light-harvesting bacteria.
From Cubicle to Limelight: When expertise meets media
Research
ETH Zurich
Scientists often are either in the lab or at their desks researching, thinking, writing, reading, and analysing discoveries. What happens if their expertise aligns with current affairs in the media, such as the war in Ukraine and nuclear threats? How does their work change when they suddenly have to spend more time in talk shows than in the library?
“Carbon dioxide can be turned into a valuable resource”
Research
ETH Board
The Swiss energy system is expected to be climate-neutral by 2050. The key to this is science: CO2 can be converted by electrolysis into raw materials for chemicals or synthetic fuels and the cost of a fossil-free energy system can be calculated using modelling.
EPFL takes another step towards carbon neutrality
Teaching
EPFL
Today EPFL inaugurated its new heating plant, which has the capacity to heat and cool the Lausanne campus solely by drawing water from Lake Geneva and recovering excess heat from a connected data center. The ceremony was attended by local political leaders including Vassilis Venizelos, who is a Vaud Canton councilor and the head of the Canton’s department of youth, the environment and security.
Combining forces for the energy transition
TechTransfer
PSI
The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the start-up AlphaSYNT have a common mission. By signing a cooperation and licensing agreement, they aim to commercialise a novel approach to “power-to-gas” conversion, or to be more specific: “power-to-methane”. The innovative methanation process developed by PSI will allow energy to be stored as methane gas in future.
Why it will be imperative to reduce the size of rental properties
Research
EPFL
A PhD thesis carried out at EPFL has shown that, based on realistic forecasts, the only way we’ll be able to shrink the environmental footprint of residential dwelling by 2050 in Switzerland is through a joint effort between housing owners and tenants. 
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