(EuroWeekly News) The Swiss government announced today, Friday, November 2, that it will ban electric cars from the country’s roads if the energy crisis worsens. In the event of Switzerland running out of energy this Winter, then ‘non-essential’ journeys using electric vehicles will be prohibited.
Because the country is dependent on imports, the government fears there could well be a shortage of energy in the coming months. Around 60 per cent of Swiss energy is generated via hydroelectric power stations.
Another 30 per cent comes from nuclear facilities but the government is already committed to phasing this out as an energy source. Wind farms and traditional fossil fuels provide the remainder of Switzerland’s energy.
Although, as statistics show, enough energy is produced annually to keep the lights on, the fluctuation of the country’s seasons leads to an unpredictable situation.
Water provided by rain and melting snow keeps the rivers topped up during the warmer months, which is needed in order to generate hydroelectric power. The river levels drop in the colder months though which means that imports have to be relied on.
