The Swiss-Japan Energy Days 2024, a groundbreaking event, was held on September 10 and 11 across two venues—ETH Zürich and Swissnex in Japan. The conference brought together top-tier academic, policy, and industry experts, as well as breakthrough startups from Switzerland and Japan to tackle the pressing challenges of the global energy and climate crisis.
The Global Energy Challenge
Both Switzerland and Japan face the monumental task of decarbonizing their energy sectors to meet net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. With increasing energy demands driven by electrification and a heavy reliance on energy imports, the need for sustainable and secure energy solutions has never been greater. The Swiss-Japan Energy Days served as a vital platform to explore these shared challenges and seek innovative solutions through international collaboration.
The event focused on four critical pillars of future energy systems: innovation in renewable energy, storage solutions, international energy market connectivity, and policy-driven decarbonization efforts. Speakers and participants from academia, the private sector, and government institutions exchanged insights on how these elements can drive sustainable energy transformation. The conference’s goal was to inspire bold steps toward a resilient, efficient energy future for both nations.
Summary
Day 1: Market Developments and Renewable Energy
The first day of the conference focused on renewable energy and market developments. Distinguished speakers, including Ambassador-Designate Roger Dubach, Benoît Revaz, Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, and Tatsuya Terazawa, Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Energy Economics Japan, highlighted the urgent need for market innovations and policy reforms to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy systems. The day featured innovative startup pitches from companies such as Borobotics and EX-Fusion, and a panel discussion that delved into the challenges and opportunities in the energy market.
Day 2: Energy Storage and Future Innovations
The second day centered around the critical role of energy storage in ensuring a stable and sustainable energy supply. President Joël Mesot, ETH Zurich, President Nagahiro Minato, Kyoto University, and leading academic experts, such as Vice-President Vanessa Wood from ETH Zurich and Prof. Nathalie Casas from Empa, discussed cutting-edge research in renewable energy storage solutions and carbon capture technologies. The event concluded with a vibrant panel discussion and a call for collaboration between Switzerland and Japan to address the complex energy challenges ahead.
Key Takeways
Welcome from Swissnex: Science and Sustainability at the Core
Dr. Felix Moesner, Consul of Switzerland in Osaka and CEO of Swissnex in Japan emphasized that this event builds on the momentum following the opening of the first Science Consulate in Japan. He introduced Swissnex for the Planet, a forward-thinking initiative that prioritizes sustainability through a fusion of science, technology, and diplomacy. This initiative aligns perfectly with the conference’s themes, focusing on international collaboration to address critical global energy and climate challenges.
Ambassador-Designate: A Personal Connection to Energy Policy
In his first public address, Ambassador-Designate Roger Dubach brought a personal resonance to the event, sharing his background in energy policy from his time at the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. He expressed his commitment to advancing clean energy solutions, noting that the challenges we face today, such as meeting ambitious 2050 net-zero emissions targets, require bold international collaboration.
Shared Energy Challenges: Switzerland & Japan
Dr. Christian Schaffner, Executive Director of the Energy Science Center at ETH Zurich, emphasized the many common challenges faced by Japan and Switzerland in ensuring a secure and sustainable energy supply for the future: topics like acceptance of new energy infrastructure, the electrification of the transport and heating sectors, dependencies on fossil energy imports, energy grids among others were discussed. Collaborations at an industrial, governmental and academic level will be crucial.
Swiss-Japan Energy Partnership Begins
Prof. Adrian Altenburger, Head of the Institute of Building Technology and Energy at HSLU, sees the first Swiss Japan Energy Days in 2024 as the start of a lasting partnership in the context of sustainable energy supply. Both countries have a common and established understanding of innovation, quality and sustainability on which science, politics and industry can be brought together.
Collaboration for a Sustainable Future
The Swiss-Japan Energy Days are helping shape the future of clean, reliable energy by bringing together academia, industry leaders, policymakers, and startups. With continued efforts and international collaboration, Switzerland and Japan are well-positioned to lead the world in addressing the challenges of the global energy transition.
Looking Ahead
The conference concluded with a forward-looking approach, identifying priority areas for continued research and collaboration at next year’s conference during Expo 2025. The Swiss-Japan Energy Days are poised to become a vital part of the ongoing conversation on global energy sustainability.
Dr. Moesner highlighted Switzerland’s commitment to environmental sustainability through its Swiss Pavilion, featuring an ultra-light, sustainable design. The pavilion will serve as a platform for critical discussions on Life, Planet, and Augmented Human, underscoring Switzerland’s dedication to fostering innovation and sustainability on the global stage.
This event is co-organized by Swissnex in Japan and the Energy Science Center of ETH Zurich, in partnership with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), EPFL, energie-cluster.ch, CleantechAlps, Swiss Business Hub Japan, and the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (SCCIJ) and supported by The Adecco Group and Bühler KK. This year’s conference is also part of the “Swiss Vitality Days 2024,” powered by Vitality.Swiss to engage multiple Swiss and Japanese stakeholders from September to October 2024.