EXPLAINED: How long could Switzerland survive without foreign energy?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put greater focus on the energy interdependence of nations including Switzerland. A new study shows just how little energy Switzerland has to power itself.
If Switzerland were to rely completely on energy produced domestically each year, how far would we get until the lights went out.
That’s the topic of a new study by the Swiss Energy Foundation (SES) - and unfortunately for residents of Switzerland, the results aren’t good.
Switzerland only produces 28.1 percent of its own energy, which would mean the country would only make it to April 12th before the lights would go out on the following day.
Ukraine invasion: How reliant is Switzerland on Russia for energy?
The study compares various European countries and their ‘Energy Independence Day’, a misleading term.
According to the SES, “from Wednesday, Switzerland lives on credit” when it comes to energy.
“The amount of energy we have produced domestically has been used up by this point. After that, we drive, heat, cook and produce exclusively with foreign energy sources until the end of the year.”
How likely is an energy embargo?
Russia’s invasion has led to intensified discussions about weaning Switzerland off Russian energy, although no concrete plans have yet been developed to do so by the Swiss government.
Switzerland could unilaterally decide to boycott Russian oil and gas, or it could be subject to an EU boycott.
While Switzerland is not an EU member, it receives much of its refined and unrefined energy through the EU, meaning that if the EU decided to boycott Russian oil and gas, Switzerland would also receive very little gas and oil.
Andreas Tresch, a Swiss energy expert, told Blick that Switzerland’s gas stocks would take a hit even if only Germany decided to impose an embargo, due to the interconnected gas networks between the two countries.
“Switzerland could expect to no longer receive any gas” in the event of a Germany boycott.
READ MORE: How would an embargo on Russian energy impact Switzerland?
Estonia on top, Malta and Cyprus towards the bottom
The study takes into account figures from 2020 from Switzerland’s Federal Office of Energy (BfE).
According to the SES, the system is used to better illustrate a country’s energy reliance than a simple percentage.
Of the 24 countries surveyed, Estonia had the best result, with 89.5 percent of energy domestically produced - meaning November 22nd is ‘Energy Independence Day’.
Iceland, Romania, Serbia and Sweden also placed towards the top of the list.
At the other end of the spectrum, Malta, Cyprus and Luxembourg would all not make it to February, while sun-soaked Greece would run out in early March.
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If Switzerland were to rely completely on energy produced domestically each year, how far would we get until the lights went out.
That’s the topic of a new study by the Swiss Energy Foundation (SES) - and unfortunately for residents of Switzerland, the results aren’t good.
Switzerland only produces 28.1 percent of its own energy, which would mean the country would only make it to April 12th before the lights would go out on the following day.
Ukraine invasion: How reliant is Switzerland on Russia for energy?
The study compares various European countries and their ‘Energy Independence Day’, a misleading term.
According to the SES, “from Wednesday, Switzerland lives on credit” when it comes to energy.
“The amount of energy we have produced domestically has been used up by this point. After that, we drive, heat, cook and produce exclusively with foreign energy sources until the end of the year.”
How likely is an energy embargo?
Russia’s invasion has led to intensified discussions about weaning Switzerland off Russian energy, although no concrete plans have yet been developed to do so by the Swiss government.
Switzerland could unilaterally decide to boycott Russian oil and gas, or it could be subject to an EU boycott.
While Switzerland is not an EU member, it receives much of its refined and unrefined energy through the EU, meaning that if the EU decided to boycott Russian oil and gas, Switzerland would also receive very little gas and oil.
Andreas Tresch, a Swiss energy expert, told Blick that Switzerland’s gas stocks would take a hit even if only Germany decided to impose an embargo, due to the interconnected gas networks between the two countries.
“Switzerland could expect to no longer receive any gas” in the event of a Germany boycott.
READ MORE: How would an embargo on Russian energy impact Switzerland?
Estonia on top, Malta and Cyprus towards the bottom
The study takes into account figures from 2020 from Switzerland’s Federal Office of Energy (BfE).
According to the SES, the system is used to better illustrate a country’s energy reliance than a simple percentage.
Of the 24 countries surveyed, Estonia had the best result, with 89.5 percent of energy domestically produced - meaning November 22nd is ‘Energy Independence Day’.
Iceland, Romania, Serbia and Sweden also placed towards the top of the list.
At the other end of the spectrum, Malta, Cyprus and Luxembourg would all not make it to February, while sun-soaked Greece would run out in early March.
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