Switzerland Is Decreasing Its Reliance On Fossil Fuels

In major news, it turns out that one of the most beautiful countries in all of Europe; a model of beauty and greenery for much of the world is lessening its dependence on fossil fuels. Yes, you read that right. Home to lanky mountains, the quintessential snow-clad Alps, countless chocolate factories, thousands of lakes and numerous watch brands, Switzerland is increasing its dependence on renewable sources of energy.

One of the most splendid countries in the world; a land that, it might not be incorrect to say in reference of, happens to top the list of countless tourist itineraries year after year, is currently pondering about its energy future. And therefore, a change of sorts is on the cards.

As a matter of fact, it’s been decades since much of our planet’s progressive economies have started increasing the consumption and usage of renewable sources of energy.

Switzerland, that is home to 8.5 million (according to 2019 numbers) is not any different. In the times to come, where the industry think-tanks and leading opinion makers stand, the mighty mountainous country might only increase its energy dependence on renewable sources.

So what exactly is on the forefront and what might have led to this positive change?

In order to ascertain that, one might have to rewind back to the 2019 figures pertaining to the energy sector. Apparently, in 2019, around three-quarters of Switzerland’s energy demands were met only and exclusively from renewable sources of energy.

For a windy, breezy, and green country rich with breathless endowments of the best that nature has to offer, valuable sources of energy like sun energy and wind energy aren’t too hard to harness any which way.

But against that narrative, what was rather interesting to note was that while one saw an almost overwhelming dependance of renewable sources of energy, only three percent of energy was drawn upon from fossil fuels.

But was this figure indicative of a sporadic change and something all too sudden? Not quite, as it turns out.

A statistic that springs to mind in this regard is- in total, 75 percent came from renewable sources – up slightly from 74 percent in 2018. 

Talk that about some great change on the cards, huh!

Furthermore, one of the most popular and widely read publications in all of Europe: The Local’s Switzerland edition had the following interesting insights to share:

The renewable energy consumed by Switzerland was largely hydropower – 66 percent of total energy consumption came from hydropower, 76 percent of which was produced domestically in Switzerland. 

8.5 percent of Switzerland’s total energy consumption came from wind and solar energy, up from 7.8 percent in 2018. Almost all of this energy (95 percent) was produced domestically in Switzerland.

All of that being said, the other useful and economic forms of harvesting renewable energy in Europe happen to be- ambient heat, wood, biomass and geothermal energy.

Suggested Read: How Cutting Air Pollution In Europe Could Hamper The Health Of The Poor?

At a time where much of the planet is suffering from a growing paucity of resources, it is about time that much of the world’s leading countries only increase their dependencies on these precious renewable sources of energy. Fossil fuels are out; renewables are in.