PATHFNDR Conference 2024
The power shift:
Will flexibility and sector coupling lead the way?
PATHFNDR held its first conference as part of the Energy Week at ETH Zurich. The conference delved into the future of energy systems while achieving net-zero GHG emission goals and focused on the role of flexibility and sector coupling.
PATHFNDR Conference
The conference took place on 7. November at the Audi Max. It was open to the public including researchers as well as representatives from industry and government. The conference offered presentations and panel discussions by experts from the public and private sectors.
Poster Exhibition
A scientific poster exhibition on the latest research results of PATHFNDR was displayed from 4.-8. November in the foyer HG F (Uhrenhalle).
Coffee with Scientists
At the coffee with scientists sessions on 7. November in the ETH main hall, the audience had a cup of coffee with scientists and asked questions or exchanged ideas about the energy transition.
Workshops
The workshops on 8. November were by invitation only.
Find below the agenda along with the link to presentations and posters showcased during the conference.
Thursday, 7. November 2024
08:00 Registration
Keynote
Location: ETH Zurich, Audi Max (HG F30)
09:00 Welcome (Presentation, PDF 2.9 MB)
Prof. André Bardow, ETH Zurich
09:15 Keynote: A US perspective on the energy transition (Presentation, PDF 14.9 MB)
Prof. Bri-Mathias Hodge, University of Colorado Boulder
Plenary session 1: Why do we need flexibility and sector coupling?
Location: ETH Zurich, Audi Max (HG F30)
10:00 Input presentations
- Sector coupling and flexibility: an inseparable union – the Swiss case (Presentation, PDF 1.8 MB)
Francesco Sanvito, TU Delft - Large-scale flexibility from small-scale actors: a deep-dive on electric vehicle charging (Presentation, PDF 2.4 MB)
Siobhan Powell, ETH Zurich - The critical role of flexibility in local electricity grids (Presentation, PDF 1.6 MB)
Turhan Demiray, ETH Zurich
- Prof. Bri-Mathias Hodge, University of Colorado Boulder
- Jochen Markard, ZHAW
- Kaja Hollstein, Swissgrid
- Simon Weiher, AXPO
11:00 Coffee break with Q&A to speakers
Plenary session 2: What do buildings and electromobility contribute?
Location: ETH Zurich, Audi Max (HG F30)
11:30 Input presentations
- Increasing the local flexibility potential of buildings: small-scale flexibility systems (nanogrid) (Presentation, PDF 1.7 MB)
Hanmin Cai, Empa - Flexibility from building inertia and coordinated heat pump activity (Presentation, PDF 3.7 MB)
Prof. Philipp Schütz, HSLU - Enabling demand-side flexibility provision from e-mobility and buildings (Presentation, PDF 2.0 MB)
Federica Bellizio, Empa
- Prof. Stefan Pfenninger, TU Delft
- Mevina Feuerstein, Amstein + Walthert
- Peter Cuony, Groupe E
- Nadine Brauchli, VSE
12:30 Networking lunch with Q&A to speakers and poster exhibition
Plenary session 3: What policies and market designs are needed?
Location: ETH Zurich, Audi Max (HG F30)
13:30 Input presentations
- Streamlining energy scenarios for the sector-coupled net-zero Swiss energy system (Presentation, PDF 3.4 MB)
Niklas Nolzen, ETH Zurich - Are policies shifting from solely promoting electrification to meeting demand-side flexibility needs? (Presentation, PDF 1.7 MB)
Adrien Mellot, ETH Zurich - Shifting renewables to when they are needed: participation of flexibility aggregators in wholesale markets (Presentation, PDF 1.1 MB)
Thomas Hübner, ETH Zurich
14:00 Panel discussion moderated by Ingmar Schlecht, ZHAW
- Prof. André Bardow, ETH Zurich (SWEET-PATHFNDR)
- Prof. Martin Patel, UNIGE (SWEET-DeCarbCH)
- Prof. Joëlle Mastelic, HES-SO (SWEET-LANTERN)
- Prof. Hannes Weigt, University of Basel (SWEET-CoSi)
14:30 Poster pitches
14:45 Closing remarks by Christian Schaffner, ETH Zurich
Coffee with scientists
Location: ETH Zurich, Main Hall (HG E-Hall)
15:00 – 16:00
What can Switzerland learn from the energy transition in the USA?
Prof. Bri-Matthias Hodge, University of Colorado Boulder(Why) are Power-to-X technologies important for the energy transition?
Prof. André Bardow, ETH ZurichDoes the integration of renewable energy destabilize the energy. system?
Prof. Giovanni Sansavini, ETH ZurichCan flexibility accelerate the integration of renewable energy?
Prof. Stefan Pfenninger, TU DelftWhat are the benefits of smart grid technologies?
Prof. Mario Paolone, EPFLWill the public even notice the transition to a zero emission society?
Prof. Anthony Patt, ETH ZurichWho should decide when to charge your electric car?
Siobhan Powell, ETH Zurich
Poster exhibition
Location: ETH Zurich, Uhrenhalle (HG F-Hall)
8:00 – 16:00
The exhibition showcased the work of 25 researchers. Find below the research posters.
Friday, 8. November 2024
Stakeholder workshop (by invitation only)
Location: ETH Zurich, Main Building (HG F33.1)
08:00 Registration
09:00 Welcome and introduction
09:10 Presentations of existing pilot & demonstration projects
09:35 Idea pitches for future industry & academia projects
10:05 Coffee break
10:20 Discussion session
11:10 Summary of discussions
11:25 Closing remarks
12:00 Networking lunch
Research workshop (by invitation only)
Location: ETH Zurich, Main Building (HG F33.1)
13:30 Welcome and introduction
14:00 Pitches of key messages
14:30 Discussion session
15:20 Summary of discussions
15:50 Closing remarks
16:00 Apéro
Research poster exhibition
Energy System
- 01 PATHFNDR energy scenarios by Francesco Sanvito, TU Delft (Poster)
02 Soft-linking energy system models by Patricia Mayer, ETH Zürich (Poster) - 03 Flexibility of power grid by Nikolaos Savvopoulos, ETH Zürich (Poster)
Buildings & E-mobility
- 04 Adequacy of power system by Ambra Van Liedekerke, ETH Zürich (Poster)
- 05 Small-scale vehicle-to-grid by Siobhan Powell, ETH Zürich (Poster)
- 06 Data-driven demand-side flexibility by Federica Bellizio, Empa (Poster)
- 08 Residential heating demand by Sarah Schneeberger, HSLU (Poster)
- 09 Flexibility from building inertia by Curtis Meister, HSLU (Poster)
- 10 P&D project nanoverbund by Hanmin Cai, Empa (Poster)
Alternative Fuels
- 11 Power, hydrogen and methane by Behnam Akbari, ETH Zürich (Poster)
- 12 Power-hydrogen-power storage by Binod Koirala, Empa (Poster)
- 13 Hydrogen generation site by Gabriele Humbert, Empa (Poster)
- 14 P&D project H2 Districts by Gabriele Humbert, Empa (Poster)
- 15 Smart grid demonstrator by Matthieu Jacobs, EPFL (Poster)
Market & Policy
- 19 Policies for demand-side flexibility by Adrien Mellot, ETH Zürich (Poster)
- 20 Co-designing policies for the building sector by Arnau Aliana, ETH Zürich (Poster)
- 21 Losone case study for regional planning by Barton Chen, Empa (Poster)
- 22 Financial contracts fro differences by Ingmar Schlecht, ZHAW (Poster)
- 23 P&D project NeDeLa by Ali Dared, ZHAW (Poster)
- 24 Flexibility in wholesale markets by Thomas Hübner, ETH Zürich (Poster)
© 2021 SWEET PATHFNDR Project