AS THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE DRAGS ON, COUNTRIES ACROSS EUROPE ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO RIDE OUT THE IMPENDING ENERGY CRISIS.
IN SWITZERLAND, THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING A PLAN TO BAN ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR THE WINTER.
AS A MEMBER OF THE EU, SWITZERLAND WILL BAN THE SALE OF NEW GAS POWERED VEHICLES BY 2035, BUT FIRST, THE SWISS NEED TO GET THROUGH THE WINTER.
SO, THE SWISS GOVERNMENT IS MULLING OVER A FOUR-PART PLAN TO CURB THE USE OF ELECTRICITY. PART THREE OF THE PLAN IS BANNING THE DRIVING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES EXCEPT IN CASES OF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY JOURNEYS.
IF THE SWISS GO THROUGH IT, THEY’D BE THE FIRST EUROPEAN COUNTRY TO LIMIT THE DRIVING AND USE OF EV’S.
SWITZERLAND DOES PRODUCE SOME OF ITS OWN ELECTRICITY, BUT USUALLY IMPORTS SOME FROM FRANCE AND GERMANY TO MEET ALL ITS NEEDS. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR FOREIGN SUPPLIES AREN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE.
THE FRENCH ARE PRODUCING LESS ELECTRICITY FROM NUCLEAR SOURCES. AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BLACKOUTS IN FRANCE IS LOOKING MORE LIKE A REALITY.
GERMANY IS SCRAMBLING TO FIND ENOUGH NATURAL GAS TO COVER THE LOSS OF ITS RUSSIAN SUPPLY, AND WILL LIKELY EXPORT FAR LESS ELECTRICITY THIS YEAR THAN IN YEARS PAST.
THE SWISS FEDERAL ELECTRICITY COMMISSION HAS BEEN SOUNDING THE ALARM ON ELECTRIC SHORTAGES SINCE JUNE. THE COMMISSION SAID SWITZERLAND WILL LIKELY NEED TO RELY ON AUSTRIA OR ITALY TO MEET ITS POWER NEEDS THIS WINTER. HOWEVER, THE AUSTRIANS AND ITALIANS ARE ALSO HEAVILY RELIANT ON NATURAL GAS SUPPLIES TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY, AND NATURAL GAS IS IN SHORTER SUPPLY THIS YEAR.