In late autumn 2024, the municipality of Tujetsch in the Grisons Oberland rejected the construction of an alpine solar plant. The concerns about the landscape were too great and the promised income too uncertain. Just a few kilometres away, the region's forestry industry has been exporting 90 percent of its logs to Italy for decades, forgoing millions of francs in local added value. At the same time, EMS-Chemie in Domat/Ems is researching bio-based plastics, the Holcim cement plant in Untervaz is working on CO₂-reduced types of concrete, and a biogas plant in Silvaplana is fermenting hotel waste into energy.
The Swiss mountain regions face a paradox. They have resources that are gaining strategic importance in the course of the decarbonisation of the economy: Wood, water, sun, biowaste, CO₂ from industrial processes. At the same time, they produce more CO₂ emissions per capita than the urban centres in Switzerland. A new analysis by the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW uses the example of Graubünden to examine the actual potential of green technologies and where the structural barriers lie. The findings are also transferable to other Swiss mountain regions and provide a blueprint for their potential.
The initial economic situation in Graubünden shows patterns that are likely to apply similarly to other Swiss mountain regions. In Graubünden, 70 per cent of employees work in sectors that are relevant to green technologies. These economic classes generate almost two thirds of gross value added. At the same time, the canton produces twice as many CO₂ emissions per capita as the Swiss average. The main causes in Graubünden are the cement plant in Untervaz, long transport routes, an above-average livestock density and, last but not least, the large number of second homes. Similar structures can be found in other Swiss mountain regions.
The Energy Strategy 2050 envisages a quadrupling of electricity production from renewable sources. Swiss mountain regions are to play a central role in this. However, Alpine photovoltaic systems are coming under economic pressure and are suffering from acceptance problems. Of five approved projects in Graubünden, only two are currently under construction. The SATW study therefore recommends an alternative approach that is relevant for all Swiss mountain regions: dams such as at Lago di Lei, mountain railway stations in Arosa or Davos, noise barriers and roof surfaces in Chur offer more economically viable locations for the production of winter electricity. Photovoltaic systems integrated into the façades of buildings are another opportunity. Even though significant progress has been made in terms of the shape and colour of the solar cells, the concept has met with resistance in protected areas.
Decentralised biogas plants are seen as an underestimated potential. Switzerland could replace 15 per cent of its natural gas imports by fermenting farmyard waste. In Swiss mountain regions with numerous small farms, such as the Grisons, Bernese Oberland and Valais, the conditions would be favourable. The Bio Energina biogas plant in Silvaplana-Surlej demonstrates the feasibility of this. However, widespread use has failed due to authorisation procedures and a lack of business models.
The construction sector causes 33 per cent of CO₂ emissions in Switzerland. Swiss mountain cantons could serve as test markets for alternative types of cement. EPFL is researching limestone calcined clay cement, Empa magnesium-based cements. Zindel United is already producing concrete with biochar.
Implementation depends on standards that building owners could define in tenders. Cantons, municipalities and the SBB could define upper limits for CO₂ intensity. So far, however, most construction projects lack such specifications.
The dynamics of timber construction are similar to those in comparable mountain regions. 90 per cent of round timber from Graubünden is exported, forgoing 40 million francs in added value every year. The Resurses sawmill in the Surselva relies on CNC-controlled systems and promotes local raw material cycles. The Uffer Group produces modular timber constructions using robot technology. However, critical mass is still lacking.
Plastics cause 4.5 per cent of global CO₂ emissions. Only 0.5 per cent are produced from renewable sources. Several components for a bio-based plastics ecosystem are available in Swiss mountain regions: Raw materials from agriculture and forestry, wastewater treatment plants, CO₂ from industrial waste gases and renewable energy.
EMS-Chemie is recognised as a global leader in high-performance polymers. However, most technologies are still at the basic research stage. There is less political pressure than for the energy transition and there are no incentives. Large-scale production is hardly competitive in Switzerland.
The study reveals a conflict of objectives that is relevant for all Swiss mountain regions: biowaste, CO₂ and wood are needed in all three technology fields. The study calls for cascading utilisation: using wood as an example, this means first building, then reusing it for construction purposes and only burning it for energy use at the very end.
Tyrol adopted a climate strategy with specific targets in 2021: Emissions are to be reduced by 50 per cent by 2030 and 150 million euros have been made available. South Tyrol is aiming for climate neutrality with its Climate Plan 2040; 1.1 billion euros have been mobilised for 2021 to 2027. Vorarlberg has the Green Deal with binding investment commitments.
The Graubünden Green Tech Competence Network is still being established and is driven by industry. Graubünden was the first mountain canton in Switzerland to discover the potential of green tech for itself.
The SATW study uses the example of Graubünden to show that Swiss mountain regions have specific resources and industrial expertise that are relevant for green technologies. At the same time, the analysis shows the discrepancy between technological feasibility and practical implementation. The greatest challenges lie in the coordination between stakeholders and the creation of reliable framework conditions. The findings apply to all Swiss mountain regions. The experiences in Tyrol and South Tyrol suggest that binding strategies can accelerate implementation.
The location analysis "Green Tech: Opportunities for the Canton of Graubünden" was compiled by SATW on behalf of the Graubünden umbrella organisation Wirtschaft Graubünden. The authors are Claudia Schärer and Stefan Scheidegger. The findings are transferable to other Swiss mountain regions.
