# Renewable heating

A map of a former edition of the Atlas of Switzerland, the national atlas published by ETH Zurich. It opens only in the desktop atlas (version 4) for Windows and macOS, not in the web atlas; see the links below.

- Map: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/renewable-heating/
- Map id: 1022
- Categories: Economy and Energy › Renewable energy
- Keywords: Energy, Renewable energy
- Published: 2022-08-15
- Last revised: 2022-08-15
- Content language: English
- Other languages: [Deutsch](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/de/thema/erneuerbares-heizen.md), [Français](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/fr/theme/chauffage-renouvelable.md), [Italiano](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/it/tema/riscaldamento-rinnovabile.md)

## Description

The approximately two million buildings in Switzerland represent a central element of the energy revolution, since almost 40% of the total energy consumption and 30% of the total CO2 emissions (excluding international air traffic) currently occur here. At present, around two thirds of all buildings in Switzerland are still heated with fossil - that is, non-renewable - energy sources.

This dependence on fossil energy is no longer considered adequate and stands in the way of achieving the climate targets; after all, the Federal Council decided in August 2019 that Switzerland should produce zero greenhouse gas emissions overall from the year 2050 onwards (net zero emissions target). A widespread move to renewable heating promises to make a significant contribution to achieving the desired goal of climate neutrality and ensuring a sustainable energy future. Modern renewable heating systems can not only save individuals money and increase the value of a property, but they also benefit the climate and the environment.

Renewable heating systems are those that use a renewable and usually domestic source of energy and heat (air, geothermal, water, waste heat, wood or solar). Non-renewable heating, on the other hand, uses fossil fuels, namely heating oil and natural gas. These resources are not available in inexhaustible quantities. Electric heating systems are also classified as non-renewable since the energy source cannot be determined.

Although Switzerland was for a long time the European country with the highest percentage of oil heating systems, which incidentally can still be legally installed nationally, renewable heating systems, first and foremost the heat pump, are clearly on the rise.

This map shows the progress of each of the cantons and municipalities in Switzerland towards comprehensive renewable heating. The value "Share of renewable heating" shows what percentage of all heated buildings are equipped with renewable heating at a given time.

## Sources

- BFE (2022): [Impulsberatung «erneuerbar heizen» ab sofort kostenlos](https://www.bfe.admin.ch/bfe/de/home/news-und-medien/medienmitteilungen/mm-test.msg-id-87815.html)
- SWI swissinfo (2019): [Heizen mit Öl: Schweiz mit höchsten Anteil in Europa](https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/gebaeude-und-klima_heizen-mit-oel--schweiz-mit-hoechsten-anteil-in-europa/45170456#:~:text=Heiz%C3%B6l%3A%20Kein%20nationales%20Verbot,und%20zur%20Nutzung%20erneuerbarer%20Energien)
- Wikipedia contributors (2022): [Erneuerbare Energien](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erneuerbare_Energien). In: Wikipedia

## Data sources

- Atlas of Switzerland: [Administrative Einheiten 1:500.000 (Gemeinden, Bezirke, Kantone)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- Energie Reporter, geoimpact, WWF Schweiz, EnergieSchweiz: [die Energiezukunft in Ihrer Gemeinde](https://www.energieschweiz.ch/tools/energiereporter/)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Gemeindegrenzen GG25](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/landscape/boundaries3D)
- swisstopo [J160089] (2010): [Landeskarte 1:500.000](https://shop.swisstopo.admin.ch/de/products/maps/national/lk500)

## Data owners

- [Atlas of Switzerland (AoS)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO)](https://www.bfs.admin.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE)](http://www.bfe.admin.ch/)
- [Swiss Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo)](http://www.swisstopo.admin.ch/)

## Authors

- [Atlas of Switzerland (AoS)](http://www.atlasderschweiz.ch/)

## Citation

The terms of use ask to name the Atlas of Switzerland and the data owners, and to keep the source references in exports, screenshots and embeds. Cite the map as:

> Atlas of Switzerland (2022): Renewable heating. ETH Zürich. Map data © AoS, FSO, SFOE, swisstopo. https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/renewable-heating/

## Links

- Map page, with the description and sources and a button that opens the map in the desktop atlas: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/theme/renewable-heating/
- Open the map in the desktop atlas (version 4), where it is installed: adsglobe://map/1022
- Download of the desktop atlas (version 4) for Windows and macOS: https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/ads4-download/

For the use and citation of maps and data, see the [terms of use](https://atlasderschweiz.ch/en/terms-of-use/).