Our Chair contributes to the transition from a non-renewable to a renewable energy supply, which helps to reduce environmental, economic and societal risks, and to create entrepreneurial opportunities. We invest intellectual venture capital in students and young researchers, enabling them to contribute to a clean energy future, in academia or business.
Management of Renewable Energies and Climate Solutions
| Social Acceptance of Renewables | IWÖ-HSG has been pioneering research on social acceptance of renewable energies for more than a decade. Current research focusses on the dynamics of community acceptance, including the role of emotions, and on the influence of citizen co-investment and community benefits on social acceptance. |
| Consumer Preferences for Electric Mobility | The transition from fossil fuels to electric vehicles is a key element of decarbonizing the transport sector. Our research in this domain focuses on consumer preferences and business models for electric vehicles in combination with renewable energies. We investigate key touchpoints in the purchase process and derive behaviorally informed policy recommendations for accelerating the EV transition. |
| Business Models for Low-Carbon Innovation | Decarbonizing the energy sector is no longer a matter of waiting for technological breakthroughs. How can innovative business models accelerate the deployment of mature renewable energy technologies like solar, wind and hydropower? In this research stream, we investigate the diffusion of new business models combining distributed renewables and storage to satisfy consumer demand for clean energy. |
| Investment Decisions under Policy Risk | Energy and climate policies can be important drivers of the low-carbon energy transition, but they also create risks for investors. If sufficient amounts of capital are to be mobilized for investment in clean energy and transport infrastructure, it is important to design policies that minimize risk for different types of investors. We use choice experiments and other empirical methods to measure the price of policy risk. |
| Overcoming Energy Path Dependence | Why is it so difficult for countries, firms and consumers to overcome our current attachment to non renewable energies, a phenomenon that former US president George W. Bush, in 2006, called an «addiction to oil»? We investigate mechanisms of path dependence and carbon lock in and explore ways to overcome it on micro, meso and macro levels. |
Chair of Management of Renewable Energies
Swiss circular economy model for lithium-ion batteries
The CircuBAT project aims to optimize the production, application, and recycling of lithium-ion batteries in Switzerland. Seven Swiss research institutions and 25 implementation partners are collaborating to ensure sustainability throughout the battery’s lifecycle. The project focuses on EV battery life cycle improvement, energy storage solutions, and resource conservation. It is part of the newly launched Flagship Initiative of Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency.
Contacts: Juliane Seika, MA – Prof. Dr. Rolf Wüstenhagen
Decentralized Renewables in Switzerland
Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy solutions – such as solar and wind – is a key objective of Switzerland’s Energy Strategy 2050, and an important pillar in the country’s commitment to climate change mitigation. As part of a national research programme funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, SWEET EDGE investigates pathways to a sustainable energy future: What will the energy system look like in Switzerland in 2035 and 2050? How can domestic energy sources be best combined to deliver a climate-friendly, reliable and cost-effective supply portfolio? And how is Switzerland’s energy future intertwined with European energy and climate policies such as the EU Green Deal and the Fit for 55 strategy? To answer these questions, the SWEET EDGE consortium distinguishes between three typical regions (i.e., the cities, the midlands, and the alps). It also applies a multi-sectoral approach combining electricity, transport and heating. The interdisciplinary consortium consists of research institutions, industry partners, and public authorities across Switzerland. The team at the University of St. Gallen contributes to the project by addressing the following topics:
Contacts: Sabrina Mili, MA – Dr. Cris Pons-Seres de Brauwer – Prof. Dr. Rolf Wüstenhagen
The role of community participation
Green Deals – public investment initiatives aimed at accelerating climate change mitigation – have become popular in several parts of the world. The European Commission has made the European Green Deal one of its key policy priorities, expecting it to help positioning Europe as the first climate neutral continent. The idea of a Green Deal has also become popular in other parts of the world, including the Swiss canton of Graubünden, which is currently implementing a similar policy on the regional level. With recent geopolitical developments, the potential benefits of Green Deals also include energy security, an aspect that is of particular relevance to countries like Ukraine which are highly dependent on imports of non-renewable energies. This project aims at investigating the factors driving social acceptance of Green Deal policy packages on a national and regional level. After an initial review of international experiences, the project will combine a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews to assess success factors for Green Deals from the perspective of different stakeholders. A particular focus will be made on community participation as a potential driver of social acceptance and long-term effectiveness of a Green Deal for Ukraine.
Contacts: Prof. Dr. Nadiya Kostyuchenko – Katharina Reidl, MA – Prof. Dr. Rolf Wüstenhagen
University of St. Gallen (HSG)
Institute for Economy and the Environment
Müller-Friedberg-Strasse 6/8
9000 St. Gallen
