The first day of the Swiss-Japan Energy Days 2025 centered on the rapid deployment of renewables, the role of hydrogen, and strategies to accelerate market-ready solutions.

• In his opening remarks, Ambassador Roger Dubach emphasized the urgency of achieving carbon neutrality and the importance of international collaboration in advancing clean energy transitions.
• Keynotes by Prof. Dr. Joël Mesot (ETH Zurich), Dr. Kazuhiro Shiozaki (NAIST), and Mr. Kazushige Nobutani (METI Kansai Bureau) highlighted the potential of solar power, interdisciplinary research on next-generation materials, and Kansai’s ambitions to cut emissions by 73% by 2040.
• Academic and policy experts such as Prof. Matthias Sulzer (Empa), Dr. Kazunari Sasaki (Kyushu University), and Eric Bianco (State of Valais) discussed solutions ranging from CO₂-negative building materials to neighborhood-scale energy systems and regional policy frameworks for innovation.
• The startup pitches showcased tangible technologies to decarbonize mobility, power, and fuel: BIOTECHWORKS-H2’s waste-to-hydrogen processes, ZESST’s zero-emission ferry, ABILITY’s hydrogen cartridges, Neology Hydrogen’s ammonia-to-power solutions, and Clean Planet’s bold approaches to new energy sources.
• Industry leaders from Primeo Energie, Switzerland Innovation, and Osaka Gas added perspectives on grid stability, scaling renewables, and developing low-carbon fuels.
• The day closed with a dynamic panel linking policy, research, startups, and industry. Panelists agreed on the need for transparent data, integrated systems, and forward-looking education to ensure that breakthroughs in hydrogen, renewables, and clean technologies move swiftly from the lab to widespread deployment.

The second day broadened the dialogue with insights from leading institutions, startups, and industry.

• In the opening remarks, Mr. Benoît Revaz (Swiss Federal Office of Energy) stressed the urgent need for storage and modernized grids to secure Switzerland’s energy transition.
• The event then featured keynotes from Mr. Tatsuya Terazawa (The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan), who presented Japan’s Strategic Energy Plan, which balances energy security, renewables, and public acceptance, and Prof. Ambrogio Fasoli (EPFL) and Mr. Koji Murota (Kyoto University), who provided academic perspectives and showcased cutting-edge research in fusion, renewables, materials science, and entrepreneurship.
• During academic presentations, Prof. Benjamin McLellan (Kyoto University) emphasized the vital role of applied academic research in supporting society’s transition toward carbon neutrality, underlining the need for industry–academia collaboration. Dr. Elena Vagnoni (EPFL) emphasized hydropower’s indispensable role in providing flexibility for renewable integration. At the same time, Prof. Andrea Weber-Hansen and Prof. Jörg Worlitschek (Lucerne University) shared innovations in energy storage and building technologies.
• The program also featured Swiss and Japanese startups, including SeasON (thermal energy storage), Atomis (MOFs), SmartHelio (solar optimization), Helical Fusion (fusion power), BTRY (solid-state batteries), and Voltiris (agrivoltaics for greenhouses).
• Industry leaders such as Kansai Electric Power, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and CKW/Axpo highlighted large-scale solutions from grid modernization to carbon capture and hydrogen technologies.
• The day concluded with a panel discussion, with exchanges demonstrating how Switzerland and Japan can jointly accelerate innovation, from fundamental research to industrial deployment, advancing a sustainable and secure global energy future.