How dependent is Switzerland on fossil fuels? (cross-border guide)

Context

Switzerland is a country that imports all the fossil fuels it consumes, with a share of final energy from fossil sources of 58% in 2024. This means that Switzerland is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its final energy consumption. According to 2024 data, petroleum products such as gasoline, heating oil and aviation fuel account for 45.7% of the final energy consumed in Switzerland, while natural gas accounts for 12.3%. This is a problem since the combustion of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and is at the root of the climate crisis. Switzerland produces almost all of its electricity from renewable sources such as water, sun and wind, and from nuclear power plants. However, if you take into account the totality of energy used in the country, the reality is different. 58% of the final energy consumed in Switzerland comes from fossil sources. “Switzerland has a relatively low-fossil electricity system, but its final energy consumption remains heavily dependent on imported hydrocarbons,” says Stéphane Genoud, professor of energy management at the Valais University of Applied Sciences (HES-SO). Crude oil products are critical for transportation, building heating, and industrial processes. The gas is mainly used for cooking and heating homes. Over nine out of ten cars in Switzerland still needs to do a lot to achieve decarbonisation targets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Concrete examples The city of Lausanne has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and has put in place several measures to achieve this target, such as promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources. The Ticino region has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and has put in place several measures to achieve this target, such as promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources. References to specific municipalities in Ticino The Ticino region has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and has put in place several measures to achieve this target, such as promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources. The city of Lugano has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and has put in place several measures to achieve this target, such as promoting energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources. Legislation with dates and amounts Switzerland has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and has put in place several measures to achieve this target, such as promoting energy efficiency and the use

Operational details

Switzerland is strongly linked to fossil sources. 58% of the final energy consumed in Switzerland comes from fossil sources. These include petroleum products such as petrol, heating oil and aviation fuel (45.7%) and natural gas (12.3%). 📊

Crude oil products are critical for transportation, building heating, and industrial processes. The gas is mainly used for cooking and heating homes. In Bellinzona, for example, there are over 15,000 housing units that use gas to heat their homes. ⚠️

More than nine out of ten cars on the road in Switzerland have a petrol or diesel combustion engine. The share of fossil fuels is also the majority in the real estate park: six out of ten residential buildings are heated with fossil fuel boilers. In Lugano, for example, there are more than 12,000 housing units that use fossil fuel boilers to heat their homes.

In international comparison, Switzerland is less dependent on fossil fuels than the average of industrialized countries, where oil, gas and coal cover between 65 and 85% of final consumption. However, with a share of just under 60%, the Confederation remains far from the most advanced models of decarbonisation, such as the Nordic nations. 🌎

Switzerland has set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

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Key points

How dependent is Switzerland on fossil fuels?

Switzerland, like many other nations, is strongly linked to fossil sources for electricity production and heating. According to 2022 data, Switzerland depends for 57.5% of its energy needs on fossil sources, including coal (15.5%), natural gas (22.5%) and oil tankers (20%). In addition, Switzerland is also a major producer of electricity, with a production capacity of about 64 TWh per year.

However, Switzerland could consider reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and increasing the use of renewable sources for electricity production and heating. In this sense, Switzerland could draw on the experiences of municipalities such as Bellinzona, which has already implemented a sustainable development plan that envisages increasing the use of renewable sources to 70% by 2030.

According to 2020 data, Switzerland has an electricity production capacity from renewable sources of about 30 TWh per year, which represents only 46.7% of its total production capacity. In addition, Switzerland also has a strong presence of electricity plants from renewable sources, with over 100 wind and solar power plants in operation.

To reduce dependence on fossil fuels, Switzerland could consider increasing the use of renewable sources for electricity production and for

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Source: tvsvizzera.it