Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis (LEA)
LEA is an interdivisional laboratory of the Nuclear Energy and Safety Research Division (NES) and the General Energy Research Division (ENE). It unites specific analytical research concerning diverse energy technologies, that is, nuclear, fossil and (new) renewables, and systems. In cooperation with external partners (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ) and many others), LEA carries out energy systems analyses relevant for energy policy issues as well as safety analysis based on Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) and focused on Human Reliability Assessment (HRA). The lab is led ad interim by Dr. Vinh N. Dang and monitored by a Steering Committee consisting of Prof. Dr. Andreas Pautz (NES Div. Head) and Prof. Thomas J. Schmidt (ENE Div. Head). In April 2017, Stefan Hirschberg retired after serving as the Head of the laboratory since its establishment in 2006. He is now a Senior Level Advisor, contributing to the leadership and continuity of selected activities.
The LEA areas of activities fall into three main areas:
Latest News
E-fuels and electrification as complementary approaches to achieve climate target
Sustainable, synthetic fuels, so-called e-fuels, can help reduce CO₂ emissions. For their production, electricity from renewable sources is required in order to allow for a close to CO₂-neutral balance. The availability of electricity from renewable sources, which ensures the climate benefits of e-fuels, is currently still limited. “Especially in order to produce on a larger scale, a lot of renewable electricity is needed,” explains Christian Bauer, researcher at the Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis (LEA) at PSI.
Blue hydrogen can help protect the climate
The key is to eliminate methane leaks.
«Price tags» of the Swiss energy transition
NZZ am Sonntag has picked up this highlight in its issue on March 7th, 2021: The highlight refers to the analysis performed in SCCER Joint Activity Scenarios and Modelling, where PSI-LEA performed the analysis of the energy transition pathways.