Vision and Mission

Vision

A sustainable energy system is one of the most complex challenges that humankind is facing. Such an energy system must be viable given the limited available resources; it must also relieve the strain on the natural environment and not compete with the basic needs of the world's population.

A plausible sustainability vision should be responsive to the central challenges facing the energy system. These are:

  • Climate change
  • Access to energy services
  • Local pollutants
  • Risks and benefits to society

To build such a sustainable energy system additional knowledge and new technologies are needed, relying on the expertise and cross-cutting research of engineering, economic and social scientists. 

Mission

The ESC aims to facilitate the deployment of an environmentally friendly, reliable, low risk, economically viable and socially compatible sustainable energy system.

The ESC enhances cooperation between ETH Zurich, industry, government, and society on energy related issues, offering a platform for nourishing the exchange of information between the engineering sciences and the social sciences as well as for directing joint projects.

The ESC synergistically combines key expertise in various disciplines to address large-scale problems successfully and to form flagship projects. These programmes will be large, financially intensive projects that have a visibility far beyond ETH Zurich and should promote energy research to a large extent.

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