Watt d'Or 2022: Swiss Federal Office of Energy awards energy prize to three companies

On January 6, 2022, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy awarded the Watt d'Or energy prize for the 15th time. The prize, which is not endowed, honors exceptional achievements in the field of energy. The trophy - a snow globe - was presented on a smaller scale this year due to the pandemic situation. The jury for the Watt d'Or 2022 was chaired by St.Gallen National Councilor Susanne Vincenz-Stauffacher. 

Winner of the Watt d'Or 2022

A total of 31 organizations submitted projects that were evaluated by a team of experts. Finally, 11 entries were nominated for the final round. From these, the jury has now selected the winning projects in the four Watt d'Or categories, although: this year there is no winner in the mobility category. This year, SBB wins the prize in the "Energy Technologies" category, Verora AG from Edlibach ZG in the "Renewable Energies" category and schaerraum AG from Horw LU in the "Buildings and Space" category.

Intelligent load control against power consumption peaks

SBB received an award for its intelligent load management to counteract electricity consumption peaks in the interval timetable. The system uses load management software developed in-house. This software switches off train car and switch heaters for a short time in the event of load peaks, which can occur repeatedly due to the high frequency of the timetable. In this way, SBB makes consumption more flexible and, as a "prosumer," optimizes the interaction with electricity production. By 2023, SBB will be able to flexibly control 70 megawatts in this way. In this way, it is also taking on a model role for Switzerland's general power grid, according to one of the jury's conclusions.

Vegetable carbon stores CO2

The moraine region of Menzingen/Neuheim (Canton Zug) is home to a nucleus for the still young negative emission technologies (NET). Since 2012, Verora AG, a group of farmers from the Zug mountain region, has been producing plant charcoal from natural tree and shrub cuttings here. Over the past 10 years, the Verora AG team has developed the necessary pyrolysis plant from a prototype by German university spinoff Pyreg GmbH into a reliably functioning production plant. As a feed additive, the plant carbon reduces the formation of greenhouse gases during the digestion of cows, it reduces the smell of ammonia in the barn, increases the nutrient content of fertilizer and compost, makes agricultural soils more robust and fertile, and binds CO2 in them for centuries.

Also awarded the Watt d'Or 2022: Climate-neutral commercial and residential building

Wooden buildings are increasingly becoming an economically attractive alternative to conventional construction methods. schaerraum AG from Horw in Lucerne has built a climate-neutral commercial and residential building based on the modular planning principle "RaumRaster". The principle is based on a wooden skeleton that stands on a concrete base and bears the entire load of the building. Thanks to flexibly combinable modules, the construction time was significantly reduced: The building was constructed in just eight months. The building technology also conserves resources and costs: the smart coupling of the air-conditioning technology with the energy piles, the heat pump, the solar systems on the roof and carport, and a battery storage system means that the building produces around 50% more energy than it consumes. In the eyes of the jury, schaerraum AG's "RaumRaster" planning principle for the construction of multi-family houses made of wood is a promising approach to building in a climate-friendly, resource-saving and cost-effective way.

Source: Federal Office of Energy