The Technology Assessment group is part of the multi-disciplinary Laboratory for Energy systems Analysis (LEA) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and is the continuation of the former GaBE Project. Technology Assessment incorporates a comprehensive range of research areas to achieve three main objectives:
- To improve understanding and thereby enable comparisons of current energy technologies and future energy options for the electricity, heating and transport sectors based on environmental, economic and socially relevant factors.
- To provide quantitative, systematic, and interdisciplinary assessments of energy technologies and energy supply strategies through the development and application of consistent methodological frameworks and databases.
- To support rational decision-making for sustainable development in the Swiss and international energy sectors, and to communicate balanced research findings to decision-makers and stakeholders.
Latest News
Finanziamenti mirati all'innovazione per la transizione energetica
Come nascono le innovazioni e come possono essere promosse in modo specifico per la transizione energetica? Il ricercatore del PSI Michael Weinold ha indagato su questa domanda utilizzando l'esempio delle lampade a LED.
Netto-Null: Die Rohstoffe mitrechnen
Ein neues Rechenmodell des PSI veranschaulicht die komplexen Wechselwirkungen zwischen Technologie, dem Bedarf an kritischen Rohstoffen und der Umweltbelastung auf dem Weg zur Klimaneutralität.
Decarbonizing Building Construction
The buildings we live and work in are changing – becoming smarter, more efficient, and powered by cleaner energy. But while we’ve made strides in reducing operational emissions, there’s a hidden carbon footprint that remains largely overlooked: the emissions locked into the materials themselves.
Latest Publications
Noll B., Graff D., Schmidt T.S., Patt A., Bauer C., Agutu C., Asiimwe P.K., Diemuodeke O.E., Krygsman S., Nienkerke I., Tröndle T., Moretti C. (2026) Battery-electric passenger vehicles will be cost-effective across Africa well before 2040. Nature Energy, doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01955-x
Weinold, M.P. and McKenna, R. (2026). JetFuelBurn: A Python package for calculating fuel burn of commercial aircraft. Journal of Open Source Software. doi: 10.21105/joss.09280
Rosa, L., Citrini, A., Terlouw, T., & Mingolla, S. (2025). Water Scarcity Risks in Ammonia Fertilizer Production Pose a Threat to Global Food Security. Environmental Science & Technology. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5c14489
Open Positions
We are looking for Master, Semester and Project students to join the group!
MSc Thesis Openings
Semester Project Openings
The Master in Energy Science and Technology (MEST) program of ETH Zurich also advertises positions.
Open Now
MSc Thesis:
Policy Measures for the Swiss Energy Transition