EMPA joins ETH Zurich-led research showing how flexible EVs and heat pumps can power Switzerland’s carbon-neutral transition

According to a new report, heat pumps and electric cars could act as key flexibility providers for the Swiss electricity system in the future. Image generated with AI: Lea Rüfenacht / ETH Zürich

(IN BRIEF) EMPA has contributed vital insights to a major ETH Zurich-led study showing how flexible operation of electric vehicles and heat pumps could strengthen Switzerland’s energy system. Coordinated use of these technologies would make renewable energy more efficient, reduce imports by 20 percent, and lower overall electricity costs and prices by 2050. The findings highlight both the technical and social readiness for a more flexible, low-carbon Swiss power grid.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜBENDORF, 11-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — A new Swiss research study led by ETH Zurich with the participation of EMPA has unveiled how flexibly operated electric cars and heat pumps could become central players in achieving Switzerland’s Energy Strategy 2050. The findings from the PATHFNDR consortium, funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy under the SWEET programme, suggest that these technologies could stabilize the national grid, lower electricity imports, reduce costs, and cut the need for additional gas power plants and storage systems.

Switzerland’s carbon-neutral target by 2050 involves replacing fossil-fuel heating systems with heat pumps and shifting to electric mobility — changes expected to increase electricity demand from 56 TWh today to about 75 TWh per year. The PATHFNDR study demonstrates that, alongside hydropower, heat pumps and electric vehicles could provide essential flexibility to balance rising demand with renewable generation.

Christian Schaffner, Director of the Energy Science Center at ETH Zurich and Deputy Director of PATHFNDR, emphasized that this flexibility helps synchronize consumption with solar and wind production. “Coordinating heat pumps and electric vehicles allows us to use renewable electricity more efficiently, easing the burden on the grid and lowering imports — particularly in winter,” Schaffner explained.

EMPA’s contribution focused on modeling how electric cars and heat pumps can be controlled to maximize their flexibility potential. “Electric cars can deliver more than four times as much flexibility as heat pumps in residential buildings, though their availability is harder to predict,” said EMPA researcher Federica Bellizio. “However, by considering user behavior and local temperatures, we can forecast their contribution much more precisely.”

The study projects that flexible operation of these technologies could increase the effective use of renewable energy by 4 percent by 2050, mostly from solar sources that would otherwise go unused, while cutting electricity imports by about 20 percent across the year. During winter months, imports could drop by 0.7 TWh — a reduction of around 4.4 percent compared to a system without flexible devices.

Public support for such a shift appears strong. A nationwide survey found that 70 percent of Swiss residents are open to using flexible heating and charging systems as long as their comfort is unaffected, while 30 percent would accept minor trade-offs to reduce energy bills.

To promote this transition, the researchers recommend introducing dynamic electricity tariffs that reward flexible consumption, ensuring consistent incentive systems nationwide, and creating a legal “right to charge” for tenants with electric vehicles.

The economic benefits are also clear. The report estimates that flexible operation could reduce overall electricity system costs by around 4 percent and lower wholesale prices by up to 6 percent during the winter months. Moreover, the need for new gas power plants and large-scale batteries could be reduced by roughly one-third, as these flexible devices would help manage demand peaks.

At the distribution level, EMPA’s grid analysis covering around 50 areas across Switzerland found that smartly operated heat pumps and electric vehicles could reduce local peak loads, lessening or delaying the need for costly grid upgrades. However, for this flexibility to be realized, both technologies must be equipped with advanced control and communication systems — something not yet common today.

PATHFNDR consortium
PATHFNDR, led by ETH Zurich and funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy under the SWEET programme, unites eight research partners — ETH Zurich, EMPA, PSI, ZHAW, HSLU, UNIGE, EPFL, and TU Delft — alongside 25 cooperation partners. The consortium’s goal is to map out practical transition pathways for renewable energy integration in Switzerland, develop planning tools, design pilot projects, and explore business and policy strategies for a reliable, sustainable, and flexible energy system.

Further information

Federica Bellizio
Urban Energy Systems
Phone +41 58 765 39 31
federica.bellizio@empa.ch

Dr. Binod Koirala
Urban Energy Systems
Phone +41 58 765 46 83
binod.koirala@empa.ch

Editor / Media contact

Manuel Martin
Communications
Phone +41 58 765 44 54
redaktion@empa.ch

SOURCE: EMPA