Stopover 1
In this first episode, we explored the French-speaking side of Switzerland looking for energy solutions. In the Vaud Canton, we met with a labeled solution born in the EPFL that is now establishing itself in the region with a very particular geothermal technology. In Valais, we visited the testing lab of another labeled solution, that also originated at EPFL, focused on agrivoltaism. Let 's go!
Renens (VD)
Harnessing heat & cold from underground parking lots
During this visit in an underground parking lot, we met with Margaux, the innovator behind Enerdrape. Her team developed something that screams ‘it just makes so much sense’ : very thin panels that use the warmth or the cold of a parking garage to reduce energy consumption in the building above.
A few pictures from our visit:
Conthey (VS)
Protecting crops and produce renewable energy on the same land
For this one, we headed to the Valais canton, in Conthey, near Sion. We arrived at a very peculiar agricultural testing site, where there were no greenhouses but an array of very tiny solar cells hovering over rasberry plants. The goal? To harness the sunlight to grow the rasberries but also, at the same, to produce energy.
A few pictures from our visit:
Stopover 2
In this second episode, we stayed close to home. We set-off to visit the cafeteria of a famous Swiss school, where former students created a system that could save restaurants worlwide tons of food, reduce their bills and radically transformation how the hospitality industry works. Let's discover more!
Lausanne (VD)
A smart camera, placed on a bin, helping restaurants to reduce food-waste and costs
For this episode,we headed to one of the most prestigious schools in the country: the Lausanne Hospitality and Business School. We met with a solution that helps restaurants reduce the quantity of food waste they produce by analysing, through a camera and AI, everything they throw away.
Learn more about this solutionStopover 3
In this one, we fake-headed to Quartino, in the Ticino canton. In reality, we met this Ticino-based company, Bioma, near Bern, at a client’s farm. The client uses Geolife, one of the two innovations we discuss with Bioma, to reduce fertilizer use on its crops. On the road again!
Quartino (TI)
A natural solution to reduce chemical fertilizer use in agriculture
This first part of this episode in the Swiss country-side was the perfect occasion to discuss Geolife, a solution labeled since December 2020. Its target is to reduce fertilizer use in crops, while increasing production and giving back its strength to the soil underneath. We met with Matteo Pavan to learn more.
A few pictures from our visit:
Quartino (TI)
Preventing undesired emissions by rebalancing microorganisms populations in animal farming
The second part of the episode was dedicated to a second Bioma solution, Kopros, this time dealing with animal manure and reducing the emissions animals produce during their life-time. Through a chemical reaction and microorganism, it reduces up to 95% percent the emissions of ammonia and allows the farmers to have more natural and more efficient fertilizer as an end-product.
A few pictures from our visit:
Stopover 4
In this episode, we made our way to Biel/Bienne in search of a smart solution that harnesses waste-water to make considerable energy savings and can reduce your bill by saving 42% of thermal energy.
Biel/Bienne (BE)
Saving energy through the warmth of your own shower
Our team met with Reto, the CEO and founder, to learn more about this technology that can be installed in any shower in any house. The system, called Joulia-Inline, reuses water from your shower, reclaim up to 42% of energy, then proceeds to heat up the cold water in your system. It reduces drastically your need of hot water. We went to their HQ to learn more.
A few pictures from our visit:
Stopover 5
On the next layover of our tour, we had an appointment at one of the most beautiful spots in Switzerland: on the shores of Lake Luzern. We met with a Zurich-based solution that promises to retrofit existing electronic infrastructure with the latest tech, avoiding tons of emissions.
Luzern (LU)
Public electronic infrastructure modernisation, with the newest technology but without the waste
We met Alexis and Pit in the center of the city, near the famous wooden bridge of Luzern. At a bus stop, they showed their latest retrofit, at a ticket machine. By using the existing machine and simply changing the internal computing system, they saved tons of CO2…
A few pictures from our visit:
Stopover 6
Just a couple of days to go before we know the results of the Climate Law referendum. Hopeful, we headed to Zurich to meet with two innovators who are making real change in their sector: waste recycling and energy, but both are confronted with archaic regulations that doesn’t allow them to thrive. Let’s go!
Zurich (ZH)
From organic waste to durable materials
Near the Letzigrund, we met with Beat, the founder of FluidSolids. He immediately served us a very tasty sustainable coffee cup before starting the tour of his ground-breaking technological set-up, where he and his team are capable of reusing organic waste to make a material that resembles in every way plastic.
A few pictures from our visit:
Zurich (ZH)
An air-water heat pump that significantly cuts lifetime emissions in the building sector
For the second part of this episode, we drove to the outskirts of Zurich, near the airport. There, in a residential neighbourhood, Thomas was waiting for us in front of a house where his team were checking the latest installation of his technology: a air to water heat pump that could save Switzerland tons of CO2 emissions.
A few pictures from our visit:
Stopover 7
With 24 hours to go before the #LoiClimat referendum results are known, our Destination : Solutions ends in Zurich, with Episode 7, meeting a solution by Engie that manages energy like a conductor manages an orchestra.
Zurich (ZH)
Intra-connected devices to reduce and optimise energy consumption
In the office of tiko Energy Solutions (ENGIE), we talked to Frédéric Gastaldo about their platform, which connects electrical devices between each other, allowing for an ideal electricity usage depending on demand and routines, across the market.
A few pictures from our visit:
