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Energy and Environment (ENE)

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ene top.jpg

Energy and Environment Research Division

Research at PSI comprises all aspects of human energy use, with the ultimate goal of promoting development towards a sustainable energy supply system. Technologies are being advanced for the utilization of renewable energy sources, low-loss energy storage, efficient conversion, and low emission energy use. Experimental and model-based assessment of these emissions forms the basis of a comprehensive assessment of economic, environmental and social consequences, for both present and future energy supply systems.

Division Head: Prof. Dr. Thomas Justus Schmidt


Energy Briefing Event 2022

On June 28th, 2022, the Energy Divisions (ENE and NES) at PSI hosted their first Energy Briefing Event at the Kursaal in Bern. Knowledgeable voices from industry, research and government shared insights in a dialogue on the feasibility of the Net Zero goal and what next steps are required to achieve this collectively.

A big thank you to Daniela Decurtins (GazEnergy), Particia Sandmeier (Hitachi Energy), Martin Naef (ABB), Pascal Previdoli (BFE), Thomas Schmidt (PSI), Christian Verhoeven (GE), Peter Richner (Empa), Andreas Pautz (PSI) and our Moderator Stephan Lendi for their valuable contributions and insights!

Highlights & News

18 May 2020
Artwork illustrating inhomogeneities in a megacity

Newly discovered rapid particle growth rates may be the answer to the mystery of aerosol formation in urban smog

Aerosols, suspended particles or droplets, play a key role in Earth’s atmosphere’s energy balance. They can also result in smog formation in cities, which leads to low visibility and serious health risks for the population. A recent study published in Nature outlines a newly discovered mechanism that may play a key role in the continued survival of particles in wintertime smog.

Read more
8 May 2020
Andrea Baccarini and Julia Schmale in the atmospheric measurement container during ACE

Around Antarctica in 90 days to study the pristine atmosphere

PSI researchers have designed and equipped a laboratory container for operation on research ships to undertake comprehensive studies of the chemistry and microphysics of the atmosphere. The floating laboratory was first deployed during the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE) with the aim of characterizing aerosol processes that are relevant for climate change in an atmosphere, which is hardly influenced by human emissions of air pollutants other than greenhouse gases.

Read more
3 February 2020
Operando XTM results of modified fuel cell microporous layer.

Fast operando X-ray tomographic microscopy improves polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) are a key technology for the decarbonization of automotive mobility. In collaboration with Toyota, it is shown by dynamic, operando X-ray tomographic microscopy, how the liquid water saturation in modified gas diffusion layer materials is reduced.

The imaging data supports the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and explains improved cell performance. Novel instrumentation at the TOMCAT beamline  further improves imaging time resolution and allows for scan times as short as 0.1 s.

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30 January 2020
Fraction of particulate black carbon mass scavenged in clouds as a function of cloud peak supersaturation.

Cloud droplet formation on soot particles

PSI researchers went to the Jungfraujoch research station and applied in situ measurement techniques in real clouds to investigate the ability of soot particles to form cloud droplets. This is a key process determining the atmospheric life-cycle of soot particles, which are primarily emitted by combustion engines and which have a warming effect on climate by absorbing solar radiation.

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15 January 2020
3D Support

A third dimension for the nanoscale

Researchers of the Laboratory for Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry (LSK) from PSI have designed uneven probe supports, which reveal the hidden site of nanocrystals.

Their simple approach allows transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) complete access to the atomic structure of nanomaterials without the need for cumbersome experimental effort.

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12 November 2019
Swiss Aerosol Award 2019 ceremony

Giulia Stefenelli wins Swiss Aerosol Award 2019

Award conferred by SwissLung.org during the award ceremony in Berne, Switzerland

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14 October 2019
In Situ Liquid SAXS Studies on the Early Stage of Calcium Carbonate Formation

Matter before solid nucleation under synchrotron light

Investigation on early stage of solid formation from solution, before nucleation, have been carried out at PSI by small angle scattering technique using X-ray light from the Swiss Light Source SLS. The system under analysis was calcium carbonate, a model system archetype of several sparsely soluble inorganic materials and relevant in many field such as CO2 capturing and biomineralization. The experimental setup, the method, and developed theoretical framework can be applied to many other systems and made available for the entire scientific community.

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5 September 2019
text

Kinetics and Mechanism of Metal Nanoparticle Growth via Optical Extinction Spectroscopy and Computational Modeling: The Curious Case of Colloidal Gold

An overarching computational framework unifying several optical theories to describe the temporal volution of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) during a seeded growth process is presented. To achieve this, we sed the inexpensive and widely available optical extinction spectroscopy, to obtain quantitative kinetic data. In situ spectra collected over a wide set of experimental conditions were regressed using the hysical model, calculating light extinction by ensembles of GNPs during the growth process. This model rovides temporal information on the size, shape, and concentration of the particles, and any electromagnetic interactions between them. Consequently, we were able to describe the mechanism of GNP growth and divide the process into distinct genesis periods. We provide explanations for several longstanding mysteries, e.g., the phenomena responsible for the purple-greyish hue during the early stages of GNP growth, the complex interactions between nucleation, growth and aggregation events, and a clear distinction between agglomeration and electromagnetic interactions. The presented theoretical formalism has been developed in a generic fashion so that it can readily be adapted to other nanoparticulate formation scenarios such as the genesis of various metal nanoparticles.

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15 July 2019
Chemically Mapping Ice Forming Particles

Chemically mapping ice forming particles

Scientists have just nucleated ice in an X-ray microscope for the first time and they created chemical maps of those responsible.

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General Contact

Research Division Energy and Environment
Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen-PSI
Switzerland

 

Thomas


Division Head
Prof. Dr. Thomas J. Schmidt
Telephone: +41 56 310 57 65
E-mail: thomasjustus.schmidt@psi.ch

Area of Responsibility:

  • Head of Division
  • Overall responsibility
  • Strategy
  • Organizational development

ENE Staff

Denise_Verhoeven


Chief of Staff
Denise Verhoeven
+41 56 310 25 45
denise.verhoeven@psi.ch

Area of Responsibility:

  • Personnel & Finances
  • Process management
  • Organizational development
  • Health & Safety (EHS)
  • Deputy of the Division Head

Jörg


Dr. Jörg Roth
+41 56 310 53 96
joerg.roth@psi.ch

Area of Responsibility:

  • Interlaboratory Coordination
  • Information Safety Officer
  • Building Manager OLGA

Ursula


Ursula Ludgate
+41 56 310 20 92
ursula.ludgate@psi.ch

Area of Responsibility:

  • Divisional Assistant

Michelle


Michelle Serina Kalousek
+41 56 310 24 75
michelle.kalousek@psi.ch

Area of Responsibility:

  • Internal Communication
  • Coordination with AKO on external communication topics

ENE Open positions

current opening at Research Division Energy and Environment

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