The domain of energy research at University of Geneva consists of a number of research groups, including the Chair for Energy Efficiency (Prof. Dr. Martin K. Patel). The Chair for Energy Efficiency launched its activities in September 2013 as result of a collaborative agreement between the university and SIG (Services Industriels de Genève), i.e. the cantonal utility company. The chair is funded by SIG and it is housed by University of Geneva which has committed itself to ensure and support interdisciplinary research in this domain. In September 2014, the chair was inaugurated with contributions by the rector, the Federal Councillor Mrs. Doris Leuthard, the Councillor of the Canton of Geneva Mrs. Anne Emery-Torracinta, representatives of the local energy sector as well as the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee).
The main research areas of the Chair are:
- Built environment
- Energy storage (co-ordinator: Dr. David Parra)
- Industrial systems & materials
- Policy and economics
Research at the Chair includes the environmental and the economic assessment of technologies, processes, products and services as well as the evaluation of policy programmes. Next to energy efficiency, energy storage and bio-based products represent key research areas. The research methods applied include techno-economic modelling (simulation), Life Cycle Assessment, economic assessment (micro & macro) and policy analysis.
The Chair is actively involved in the following selected projects:
- Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research on Future Energy Efficient Buildings & Districts (SCCER FEEB&D)
- Swiss Competence Center for Research in Energy, Society and Transition (CREST), dealing with energy research on economics, environment, behavior and law (poster)
- Swiss Competence Center for Efficiency of Industrial Processes (EIP) (poster)
- Swiss Competence Center for Heat and Electricity Storage (HAE) (poster)
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) - NRP 71 project on tariff structure
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) - project on energy storage technologies (“SwissStore”)
- Odyssee project on energy efficiency indicators and energy consumption by end-use