Switzerland

Country: Switzerland

Document type: National Strategy

Title: Hydrogen Strategy for Switzerland (Original language) Released December 2024; Federal Council Release (Translated English Language)

Summary Points

In December 2024, the Federal Council adopted the Hydrogen Strategy for Switzerland. It contains the Federal Council’s mission statement and objectives for hydrogen and power-to-X derivatives. It also proposes measures for the development of the domestic hydrogen market and the connection to the European market. The strategy is based on an earlier report Hydrogen: overview and options for action for Switzerland, which the Federal Council adopted in November 2023.

The strategy is intended to create the necessary framework conditions for the development of hydrogen and power-to-X derivatives (e.g., gaseous or liquid energy carriers produced on the basis of hydrogen, such as synthetic methane or methanol). Identified use cases include high-temperature process heat in industry, peak load coverage in combined heat and power plants and thermal networks, reserve power plants, aviation, shipping and heavy traffic.

In addition to domestic production and storage, the connection to the European hydrogen transport network is an important aspect of the strategy and imports are to be strengthened through international cooperation and partnerships.

The strategy assumes that demand for hydrogen and PtX derivatives in Switzerland will be rather low by the mid-2030s and can be met mainly through domestic production. It is expected that from 2035 onwards, the transport and distribution infrastructure in Europe will be developed to such an extent that imports into Switzerland will be possible. It is recognised that storage would require large gas storage facilities, which do not yet exist in Switzerland, or the hydrogen would be converted into liquid synthetic energy carriers.

From 2035 onwards, domestic demand is expected to increase. Since imports from the EU and third countries will be cheaper than domestic production in the long term, the share of imports is likely to increase continuously from then on (though it is noted there are uncertainties regarding the course of demand).

Domestic hydrogen production and storage can be promoted for six years through measures in the Climate and Innovation Act (KlG). In addition, the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) and the Federal Department of Finance, with the involvement of the cantons (Swiss member states) and the owners of the transit gas pipeline, are to examine the necessity and possibilities of financial protection for the transit gas pipeline for connection to the European hydrogen network by the end of 2025. The requirement for the prospect of a promising business model is to be significantly influenced in the analysis of any financial security.

The Federal Council release also notes that DETEC is also drawing up a concept to provide suitable areas for operators of hydrogen filling stations at the heavy traffic control centers along the national roads.

 

Reviewed: January 2025