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The Swiss policy lab is a collaboration between ETH Zürich, SLF/WSL (CERC) and SCNAT/ProClim. It is researching land use changes at high altitudes across the Swiss Alps, in particular the impacts of renewable energy expansion and forest/shrub encroachment due to land abandonment.
The expansion of renewable energy production across the Swiss Alps has fuelled a fierce debate in Switzerland about the extent to which solar farms in the Alps should be used to help fill the winter electricity gap.
Other land use changes impacting the Swiss Alps include land abandonment, especially at high altitudes, where forest and shrub encroachment of species such as green alder impacts the landscape and biodiversity. Another land use change is being caused by the melting of glaciers; land previously under ice is being uncovered.
The challenge faced by the Swiss Policy Lab is balancing the trade-offs between protecting biodiversity, generating renewable energy and preserving the beauty of the landscape.
There are also opportunities for land-sharing or mutually beneficial actions. For example, by combining solar energy systems with restoration opportunities, there could be increases in energy production, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Further opportunities and challenges are arising in deglaciating areas. The Swiss Policy Lab is bringing together energy companies, environmental NGOs, municipalities, farmers, public sector organisations, researchers and other stakeholders. These stakeholders aim to develop policy options that incentivise land sharing, prevent unregulated use of deglaciated areas and balance different interests and priorities.
A major output of the Policy Lab has been the "Swiss SolarWind Explorer v2" co-created with stakeholders to consider landscape quality against energy yield. The lab also conducted an analysis of 40 alpine projects, investigating how public versus secret voting and local versus private ownership models affect community acceptance.
Drivers of Land Use Change
The primary driver in this Policy Lab is national energy policy, specifically the "Solar Express" initiative, which provided support for projects submitted before the end of 2025 to fill the winter electricity gap. However, central targets often clash with local identities and the tourism industry, which relies on the image of "pristine" alpine landscapes. Market and technical drivers favor cost-efficient sites near existing roads, which can lead to the neglect of biodiversity. Acceptance is much higher for projects located near existing infrastructure, such as ski resorts or dam walls.
Next steps
The lab is preparing workshops for Graubünden and is refining its digital tools. Future activity will include the early integration of biodiversity data into the planning process and promoting local co-ownership models to improve the perceived fairness of energy transitions.