Baselland Business 2/2022 English / Sustainability

BL 

Business 

The business guide for the 

Basel-Landschaft region 

2022 

Economy 

Minister Guy 

Parmelin 

Federal Councilor Guy 

Parmelin has had intense 

few months. In an 

interview with BL Business, 

he talks about the 

economic situation, the 

security of energy supply 

and the connection to the 

European Horizon 

research program. 

Special: 

Sustainability 

The future 

of energy 

Where is Switzerland's 

energy supply heading - 

sun, wind, wood, hydropower? 

Or new technologies 

like power-to-X with 

green hydrogen or even 

the next generation of 

nuclear power plants? A 

look at the energy year 

2050. 

Swiss 

Innovation 

Challenge 2022 

In the field of ventilation, 

aiEndoscopic AG has 

combined artificial intelligence 

with robotic 

endoscopy; Perovskia 

Solar AG offers digitally 

printed, customizable 

solar cells for original 

equipment manufacturers; 

and Spirecut SA is 

developing ultrasoundguided 

surgical instruments.

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Content 

12 

20 

26 

50 

4 Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin 

8 Christoph Buser, Director of Baselland 

Economic Chamber 

10 The energy future 

12 Hydrogen as a magic word 

17 Opportunities with photovoltaics 

20 Where to with e-mobility? 

24 Florian Tresch, Head of Sustainability BLKB 

26 Swiss Innovation Challenge 2022 

30 Thomas Kübler, Head of Location 

Promotion Baselland 

32 Labels - What are they worth? 

34 David Bosshart, President Duttweiler Foundation 

37 Archroma 

38 European Food Trends Report 

40 Sustainable fish farming in Birsfelden 

42 Swiss Sustainability Challenge (SSC) 

44 Wood - the natural building material 

48 Swiss salt works 

50 Gentle tourism in the Basel region 

52 The new Waldenburg Tramway 

Baselland Business 3

Interview Guy Parmelin 

"Adaptability is 

underestimated" 

Federal Councilor and Economy 

Minister Guy Parmelin has had 

some intensive months. In an 

interview, he talks about the 

economic situation, energy 

supply security, joining the 

European research program 

Horizon. 

Interview: Daniel Schaub 

BL Business: Federal 

Councillor Parmelin, 

you are once again a 

guest in the Basel 

economic region 

on November 24. 

What impresses 

you about this 

location? 

Guy Parmelin: 

The Basel 

economic 

region is an 

incredible 

engine for the 

Swiss economy. 

Just think of the 

pharmaceutical 

industry, which 

makes a major 

contribution to 

Switzerland's economic 

success. But not only that. 

Just recently, I was able to 

open Switzerland Innovation's 

largest innovation park in this 

region. That underlines how attractive 

this location is. 

The economy has difficult 

months behind and ahead of it: 

the Corona pandemic, the energy 

crisis, inflation, supply bottlenecks, 

a shortage of skilled 

workers, the interest rate turnaround. 

Where do you see the 

Swiss economy in the actual 

analysis in November 2022? 

As expected, the recovery of the 

Swiss economy from the Corona 

crisis has continued over the course 

of this year. However, current 

economic indicators present a 

mixed picture. Inflation in Switzerland 

remains at a relatively moderate 

level. The favorable development 

of the labor market should continue 

to support private consumption. 

However, the international environment 

is challenging. The war in 

Ukraine, high inflation rates in 

many countries and developments 

in China are weighing on the global 

economy. The tightening of monetary 

policy also has an impact on 

Switzerland, of course, which needs 

to be managed. 

Recently, another exchange 

took place 

between you, the 

business associations, 

foreign 

chambers of 

commerce and 

other representatives 

of 

the Swiss 

export industry. 

How do 

you currently 

perceive the 

mood among 

the country's 

major companies? 

Despite a demanding 

environment 

and a variety of 

challenges, the export 

industry was generally 

confident. Our exporters have 

learned to deal with crises. What 

impresses me time and again in my 

contact with them is that they do 

not let adverse conditions stop 

them, but find solutions with a great 

deal of initiative and an innovative 

spirit. The Confederation continues 

to work for the most favorable 

framework conditions possible, for 

4 Baselland Business

example in terms of access to 

foreign markets. 

The currently discussed energy 

shortage in the coming winter is 

not necessarily a new phenomenon 

in Switzerland. Why are we 

currently more concerned than 

in previous winters? 

Switzerland is always dependent on 

gas and electricity imports from 

other European countries in winter, 

and 100 percent of gas imports. 

However, the situation for this 

winter is quite unique. The war in 

Ukraine has shown us all how 

vulnerable and dependent the 

European energy supply is. This is 

particularly true of gas, an energy 

source that is also used to generate 

electricity, especially in Germany. 

In addition, there was overhaul or 

repair work on more than half of 

France's nuclear power plants, an 

important source of electricity for 

Switzerland in winter. And then 

there were logistical problems that 

made it difficult to supply Switzerland 

with petroleum products. All 

this led to a fragile situation. The 

Federal Council has therefore done a 

lot in recent months to strengthen 

Switzerland's security of energy 

supply. 

You recently raised the prospect 

that the energy crisis could keep 

Switzerland busy for another two 

or three years? How should and 

can the economy, which is currently 

and then especially in 

2023 burdened by sharp price 

increases, deal with this? 

To deal with higher electricity 

prices, companies have 

various private-sector 

options, such as concluding 

long-term supply contracts 

or switching to procurement 

at flexible prices. We 

cannot estimate how 

prices will develop in the 

winter of 2023. However, 

companies can already 

hedge their electricity prices for the 

winter of 2023/2024 or strengthen 

their resilience by investing in their 

energy efficiency. 

The Federal Council has drawn 

up a contingency plan for the 

coming winter - what would 

happen if, after the austerity 

measures, possible restrictions 

and contingency already introduced, 

it came to the extreme - 

the shutdown of electricity 

supplies? 

This would indeed be "ultima ratio" 

and would mean that all the previous 

measures taken to try to prevent 

this worst of all cases have not been 

effective. I hope it will not come to 

that. On the one hand, because the 

residents and businesses in this 

country will pull the emergency 

brake beforehand and cut back 

further. On the other hand, because 

we have built up reserves and made 

agreements. Nevertheless, it is 

essential to prepare for this situation 

as well. 

In an environment characterized 

by crises and uncertainties, it is 

not easy to convince companies 

of sustainability issues such as 

the Energy Strategy 2050 and 

other transformation processes. 

How do we strike a balance here 

between security of supply and 

decarbonization goals? 

There is no ready-made recipe for 

this at the moment, because in less 

than a year the initial situation has 

changed fundamentally. We now 

have to find ways to secure our heat 

and energy supply while at the same 

time targeting the climate goals. 

After all: I am firmly convinced that 

the current crisis has opened our 

eyes and accelerated the process. If 

we can continue to work with the 

momentum we have today, we will 

make significant progress even 

before 2050. 

Can the energy transition also be 

an economic opportunity for 

Switzerland? 

Absolutely. The Swiss economy is in 

a good starting position. Energy 

intensity is lower than abroad, and 

we already have a very high share of 

renewable energies thanks to 

hydropower. I am also convinced 

that the adaptability of our companies 

is often underestimated. It is 

important to give companies as 

much freedom as possible so that 

they can implement their energysaving 

potential and their procurement 

strategy as optimally as 

possible. 

Many industries are complaining 

about a shortage of skilled workers 

- especially those already 

affected by the Corona crisis, such 

as healthcare or gastronomy, but 

also the IT or currently the energy 

industry. How can we counter this 

deficit in a targeted manner? 

The extent and causes of the shortage 

of skilled workers vary from 

profession to profession. That's 

why the approaches to 

solving the problem also 

vary. In order to counter 

the shortage of skilled 

workers in the best 

possible way, we need 

an efficient education 

and training system 

and a well-functioning, 

flexible labor 

market. However, the 


Der Boden ist genau wie 

unsere Haut ein lebendiges, 

atmendes Ökosystem. 

Er ist die lebendige Haut 

unserer Erde. 

Indem Sie Produkte von Weleda wählen, 

unterstützen Sie die Bodengesundheit. 

80 % unserer pflanzlichen Inhaltsstoffe 

entstammen biologischem Anbau. 

Die weltweit 8 Weleda Gärten werden 

nach biodynamischen Prinzipien 

bewirtschaftet. 

Durch die Integration von Kompost 

wird mehr CO2 gebunden als emittiert. 

Der Energiefußabdruck unseres 

Unternehmens ist klimaneutral. 

Folgen Sie #SchützedieHautderErde 

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industries themselves are also called 

upon to develop solutions in order to 

be attractive as trainers and employers. 

The lack of a framework 

agreement with the EU already 

brings with it noticeable disadvantages, 

such as the situation of 

Switzerland as a location for 

research and innovation in the 

context of European programs 

such as "Horizon". How can 

this uncertain location factor 

be remedied as quickly as 

possible? 

The quickest solution would of course 

be association with the Horizon 

package - that is and remains our 

goal. But negotiations require two 

parties, and the EU is not ready for 

this at the moment. In the meantime, 

we are cushioning the effects of 

non-association with a bouquet of 

measures. For example, Innosuisse's 

"Swiss Accelerator" supports Swiss 

startups and SMEs that cannot 

participate in the European Innovation 

Council's calls for proposals. And 

in Horizon program parts in which 

Swiss researchers can participate, we 

fund them directly. Separately, the 

Federal Council decided in February 

that it wants to hold talks with the EU 

on continuing the bilateral path. 

These exploratory talks are ongoing, 

and the Federal Council will take 

stock of the situation and decide on 

the next steps before the end of the 

year. 

Where do you rate Switzerland in 

globally important economic 

sectors such as digitalization, 

technologization and 

automation? Aren't we lagging 

behind somewhat in 

comparison? 

We can certainly improve, but 

Switzerland does very well in 

international rankings on innovation 

or digitization. We are even 

considered the innovation world 

champion. Despite the good starting 

position, however, Switzerland must 

constantly review the framework 

conditions in order to cope with the 

changes and enable the economy to 

take advantage of the opportunities 

offered by digitization. 

The Swiss economy has recently 

proven to be thoroughly 

crisis-proof. What do we continue 

to do differently or better 

than others? 

One factor that contributes decisively 

to the resilience of the Swiss 

economy is its industry structure. 

The Swiss economy is diversified, 

and there are various successful 

industries. Important sectors of 

Swiss industry have repeatedly 

proven to be extremely crisis-resistant, 

such as the chemical-pharmaceutical 

industry. Even in the 

current crisis, Switzerland has so 

far been less affected than other 

European countries. Inflation in 

Switzerland was 3.0 percent in 

October, while in Germany, for 

example, it has risen to 11.6 percent. 

Another advantage for Switzerland 

at present is that the share of 

energy in household consumption 

expenditure is less high than in 

other countries. 

About the person: Guy Parmelin 

Guy Parmelin, 63, from Vaud, has been a 

Federal Councillor since 2015 and head 

of the Federal Department of Economic 

Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) 

since 2019. He previously served as 

Switzerland's defense and sports minister 

for three years. Parmelin grew up on 

his parents' farm in Bursins. After high 

school in Lausanne, he completed a 

professional apprenticeship as a farmer 

with a diploma from the agricultural 

school in Marcelin. In 1985, he received 

the federal certificate as a farm manager 

master farmer with viticulture. 

Until his election to the Federal Council, 

he and his brother managed the 

family farm and vineyard in Bursins and 

served as Vice Chairman of the Board of 

Directors of the Swiss Agribusiness 

Group (Fenaco). 

He entered politics as a member of the 

municipal council and later as a member 

of the cantonal council. In 2003, he was 

elected to the National Council for the 

SVP. In 2015, he was elected to the 

Federal Council by the Federal Assembly 

to succeed Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf. In 

2021, Parmelin, who is married, was 

President of the Swiss Confederation. 


Interview Christoph Buser 

"Sustainability is a 

driver for innovation 

and development" 

This magazine is the second 

publication of Baselland Business 

and the first special issue. 

We talked to Christoph Buser, 

Director of Baselland Economic 

Chamber, about the background 

of Baselland Business 

and about sustainability. 

Christoph Buser, 

Director Baselland 

Economic Chamber 

Baselland Business is an 

initiative of the Baselland 

Economic Chamber. What can we 

understand by this? 

Baselland Business includes around 

100 major manufacturing companies 

in the canton of 

Basel-Landschaft. I have personally 

visited all of these companies and 

sought dialog with the entrepreneurs. 

Our economy is facing a lot of 

challenges in the next few years. 

Keywords are digitalization, energy 

issues, shortage of skilled workers 

or mobility. This exchange, this 

journey through our economy was 

very valuable for me personally and, 

of course, also for the Baselland 

Economic Chamber. There were 

exciting insights, intensive 

discussions, also some surprises as 

well as a wide range of topics that 

went beyond the planned topics of 

conversation. This business trip, 

which lasted longer than a year, 

then gave rise to Baselland Business. 

And the topics I took up are now, of 

course, being explored in greater 

depth 

In spring, you published the first 

Baselland Business magazine. 

Why another magazine? 

Yes, with the "Business Report" we 

published a first magazine under the 

label "BL Business" in the spring of 

this year. This is because there has 

been nothing comparable in the 

canton of Basel-Landschaft until 

today. By means of interesting 

portraits and stories about people 

and products, with exciting figures 

and interviews, we have been able to 

illustrate the economic importance 

of these manufacturing companies. 

This was certainly a first and 

important basis to show the diversity 

of the companies and also to 

increase their public perception. We 

can be proud of our business 

location, but we are also challenged 

to develop it further and to set 

impulses for the future. The bracket 

for all this is Baselland Business. 

How was the response to the first 

magazine? 

The feedback on our first magazine 

was very positive and yes - it 

exceeded our expectations. And not 

only from the side of the companies; 

the canton's location promotion 

agency also supports Baselland 

Business and has 

complimented the magazine. The 

"economy" is a very abstract 

concept and our attempt to present 

it on around 100 pages, with key 

figures, stories and background 

information, was described as very 

valuable. Some feedback also said 

"finally" and "thank you." Because 

to my knowledge, there has never 

been anything like this before. 

Namely, that the diversity and 

track record of companies in the 

canton was presented in such 

detail. We now want to build on 

this, because the business community 

in the canton of Basel-Landschaft 

is certainly entitled to be 

self-confident and to present itself 

accordingly. 

Now the second issue follows, 

with the special topic of sustainability. 

Why this topic? 

Quite simply: Because it's time. No 

company can afford to ignore 

sustainability in the long term. In 

preparation for this special, the 

response has already been very 

positive, confirming that we are 

doing the right thing. The topic of 

sustainability has been present in 

the business world for a long time, 

and I would like to make that clear. 


Sustainability 

is one of the drivers of 

economic innovation 

and development. 


Director Baselland Economic 

Chamber 

However, it is also clear that sustainability 

is an issue that is increasingly 

preoccupying companies, 

because it is also taking up more and 

more space and gaining in importance: 

in society, in the economy, in 

politics and ultimately also with the 

end consumer. It is also a very 

broadly defined topic, as you can 

read in this magazine. For example, 

sustainability is also closely linked 

to the omnipresence of digitization 

and ever more rapid technological 

progress. We are therefore dealing 

with a change that is also very 

exciting in this respect. Sustainability 

is one of the drivers of economic 

innovation and development. That's 

what we want to reflect here, and I 

hope we've succeeded. A classic 

issue of "BL Business" will be 

published again next spring, and a 

special will be published again next 

fall, also with a view to Business 

Day 2023. We have already thought 

of a few things - you can be surprised. 

In what manner is the Baselland 

Economic Chamber involved in 

sustainability? 

If you look at our events, you will see 

that sustainability is a recurring 

theme here as well, for example with 

the "Energy" and "Finance" event 

series, which are very successful. 

Another aspect is our involvement 

in the Swiss Innovation Challenge. 

Here we can support startups that 

develop innovative ideas that 

contribute to a more sustainable 

economy. With the new location in 

Pratteln, we have very consciously 

chosen a sustainable building. And 

if you look at it on a smaller scale, 

we also pay attention to sustainability 

in the way we handle our work 

equipment. Ultimately, sustainability 

is the sum of many parts. 


Energy future 

Which paths lead to 

the energy future? 

The energy market will change 

fundamentally in the next 

quarter century. Fossil fuels 

are likely to largely disappear, 

with renewable energies and 

so-called power-to-X fuels 

taking the lead. A look at the 

energy future. 

Daniel Schaub 

Fossil fuels such as oil and gas still 

play the leading role in Switzerland's 

overall energy requirements 

- almost 60 percent of consumption 

comes from these sources. This will 

change fundamentally by 2050, as 

energy expert Dr. Marc Schürch of 

Swiss Life Asset Managers points 

out. Oil is likely to have disappeared 

completely from the Swiss energy 

mix by 2050, and gas will play a 

barely relevant secondary role. 

Nuclear energy, which today covers 

7.6 percent of Switzerland's total 

energy needs, has also disappeared 

from the diagram (see chart). In 

2050, fossil and nuclear energy 

sources have been replaced by 

renewable electricity, renewable 

heat and, with over 10 percent, 

power-to-x technologies (for 

example, green hydrogen). Demand 

for electricity, which today accounts 

for just over a quarter of energy 

demand, will double up to almost 

half (44.5 percent). 

Which direction is the right one? 

So much for the prognostic facts, 

which will have a pleasant side 

effect: dependence on foreign 

countries, which is currently very 

high due to the import of gas and 

oil, will turn into a higher degree of 

supply autonomy. The question 

remains whether the Energy 

Strategy 2050 approved by the 

Swiss electorate in May 2017 via the 

adoption of the Energy Act, with the 

complete phase-out of nuclear 

energy and the net zero target for 

CO 2 

emissions by 2050, can be 

implemented as planned in the 

remaining time, even in view of the 

still existing winter electricity gap 

in Switzerland. 

The phase-out of fossil energies 

can no longer be stopped. Due to the 

expected strong increase in CO 2 

prices in the coming years and 

decades, this will not only be forced 

by legislation, but also by purely 

economic reasons. The switch to 

electrified mobility and to electrically 

supported heat pump heating 

systems is in full swing and is today, 

in terms of operating and maintenance 

costs, financially more 


attractive than the use of purely 

fossil-fueled vehicles or heating 

systems. 

Strong increase in electricity 

demand by 2050 

Electricity demand will grow as a 

result of this transition. The Swiss 

Energy Strategy 2050 assumes an 

additional demand of around 42 

percent - from around 60 

terawatt hours (THw) of 

annual electricity consumption 

in Switzerland 

today, this will rise to an 

estimated 84 TWh in 

2050. This, combined 

with improvements in 

energy efficiency - for 

example, by pushing 

improvements in the 

building stock or in the 

consumption of electric 

vehicles - is the starting 

point with which to plan 

today. 

Anyone who considers that 

Swiss nuclear power will then no 

longer contribute to electricity 

production does not have to have 

much imagination to realize that the 

gap will have to be covered by new 

forms of energy. Even if we assume 

- as in the model of the Swiss 

Federal Office of Energy - that 

hydropower can be expanded by 

almost ten percent, it is primarily 

renewable energies that will have to 

make a significant contribution to 

compensating for the missing power 

from the nuclear power plants. 

Of the five NPPs built between 

1969 and 1984, Mühleberg was the 

first to be decommissioned at the end 

of 2019. Since then, the remaining four 

NPPs have been producing around 22 

TWh of electricity annually. Assuming 

maximum operating times of 60 

years, Beznau I would have to be taken 

off the grid in 2029, Beznau II in 2031, 

Gösgen in 2039 and Leibstadt in 2044. 

According to this plan, Switzerland 

would have to operate without nuclear 

power as of 2045. 

Nuclear power of the future? 

But in view of the current supply 

problems, there are more and more 

voices calling for openness in 

technology and openly demanding 

that nuclear power be retained. The 

Energy Club of Switzerland, for 

example, is calling for this openness 

in its current "Stop Blackout" 

initiative. And the assessment of 

many experts that a new nuclear 

power plant in Switzerland is 

hardly realistic from a financial 

and licensing point of view, in 

addition to the legal ban on new 

licenses, refers primarily to the 

classic nuclear power plant designs. 

In the meantime, however, 

there are initiatives worldwide of 

newer nuclear power plants that 

are more efficient, safer and also 

ready for operation in a shorter 

time. Leading the way here are the 

Korean supplier Kepco, the Chinese 

model CAP 1400, and Bill Gates' 

company "TerraPower" which 

wants to build a "low-cost, fast 

sodium reactor with a molten salt 

energy storage system" together 

with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy in 

the American town of Kemmerer, 

a run-down former coal town in 

the state of Wyoming. 

This pilot plant is expected to 

be operational and connected to 

the power grid by the end of this 

decade. The 345-megawatt plants 

will be cooled with liquid sodium 

and cost about a billion dollars 

each. The special feature is that the 

neutron reactor will be cooled 

with sodium rather than 

water. Linked to this is the 

idea of being able to 

virtually recycle nuclear 

waste with running 

wave and liquid salt 

reactors. According to 

TerraPower, the world's 

buried nuclear waste 

still contains enough 

energy to supply most 

of humanity with 

electricity for a millennium. 

Large-scale specialist study 

Wherever the journey to the 

energy future will take us, this is 

currently the subject of numerous 

experts in Switzerland. The 

Association of Swiss Electricity 

Companies (VSE) is currently 

working on the comprehensive 

study «Energy Future 2050 - Paths 

to the Energy and Climate Future", 

which is to be presented at the end 

of this year. With this industry 

project, the VSE is simulating Switzerland's 

overall energy system up 

to the year 2050, based on comprehensive, 

building- and hour-specific 

modeling of 1.8 million 

buildings by the Swiss Federal 

Laboratories for Materials Testing 

and Research (Empa). Based on 

this, realistic paths to the energy 

future are to be outlined, for 

example a substantial expansion of 

photovoltaics or greater use of 

imported electricity from the EU 

region. 

www.strom.ch/de/energiezukunft-2050/startseite 


Energy 

Hydrogen - the new 

magic word? 

PHOTO AIRBUS 


The fossil combustion engine is 

a discontinued model. In 

passenger cars, the electric 

car seems to be gaining 

ground. The situation is different 

in shipping, aviation and 

heavy transport - here it is still 

open in which direction things 

will go in the future. One thing 

is certain: green hydrogen will 

become a central energy 

carrier for mobility and for the 

energy mix - many experts 

agree on this. We are at the 

beginning of a new era - but 

what will it look like? 

Patrick Herr 

Japan, which is currently almost 

completely dependent on energy 

imports, is considered a pioneer and 

role model when it comes to hydrogen. 

In 2017, after the Fukushima 

disaster, it became the first country 

in the world to develop a hydrogen 

strategy. An important location for 

this strategy is the port city of Kobe. 

Here, hydrogen is already being 

used to generate heat and electricity 

for the hospital, sports center and 

trains. And even Toyota forklifts run 

on hydrogen. By 2030, Japan wants 

to establish a hydrogen supply chain 

to provide 300,000 tons of the 

energy carrier annually for local 

needs. These are the first steps 

toward the so-called hydrogen 

society, which Japan is striving for 

and consistently pushing forward. 

Hydrogen is also a magic word 

for mobility. Not in the case of 

passenger cars - here, the race 

currently seems to have been won in 

favor of electric cars. But a container 

ship, a passenger plane or a truck - 

these are completely different 

challenges that are currently being 

dealt with intensively in all the 

industries concerned worldwide. 

"Here, liquid fuels score points with 

their very high energy density - after 

all, every gram counts, especially 

in air traffic, and high performance 

with long operating times is 

required," writes the renowned 

German Fraunhofer Institute. 

At Airbus, for example, the 

world's largest aircraft manufacturer. 

It wants to bring a hydrogen aircraft 

to market by 2035. This year, it 

found a partner in the engine manufacturer 

CFM, with whom it plans to 

develop a first engine that runs on 

hydrogen by around 2025. This 

engine is then to be installed in an 

A-380 wide-body aircraft, which 

will then be tested on the 

ground and in the air. 

Airbus is not alone in this. The 

German Aerospace Center (DLR), 

together with Lufthansa Technik, 

the Center for Applied Aeronautics 

Research (ZAL) and Hamburg 

Airport, is conducting research into 

maintenance and ground processes 

for future hydrogen-powered 

aircraft. Together, they plan to 

convert a decommissioned Airbus 

A-320 into a "Hydrogen Aviation 

Lab" and use it as a real laboratory. 

It will no longer fly, but can be towed 

to various locations at the Lufthansa 

Technik base and the airport for 

realistic testing of ground processes. 

Processes have to be tested here, 

because aviation is a very complex 

and finely timed network.. 

These two examples are representative 

of many other projects and 

studies that should lead to emissionfree 

aviation in the next 15 to 20 

years. 

A similar picture can be found in 

shipping, a similarly large climate 

polluter as aviation. Like aviation, 

shipping - whether cargo or passenger 

ships - is as finely tuned as it is 

highly interconnected. And here, 

too, intensive work is being done on 

climate-friendly propulsion systems, 

with green hydrogen being 

one of the options for decarbonizing 

inland and maritime shipping (and 

the industry). 

PHOTO AVIA 


The Dutch shipping company 

Future Proof Shipping (FPS) is 

currently converting the FPS Maas 

from a diesel to a hydrogen container 

ship. After the conversion, the 

ship will operate between Rotterdam 

and Antwerp. FPS aims to 

build and operate a fleet of a total 

of ten zero-emission inland and 

short-sea vessels. Other projects 

are hybrid, such as the Berlin 

pusher barge, which runs on 

battery power for short distances 

and hydrogen for long distances. 

Silversea Cruises plans to launch 

the Silver Nova in 2023. This cruise 

ship will use liquefied natural 

gas as an energy source, 

which in turn will be converted 

into hydrogen for the fuel cells. 

Overall, experts in this sector have 

greater doubts as to whether hydrogen 

alone can solve the problems and 

make shipping climate-neutral. From 

ferries to cruise ships, the needs and 

requirements are very different - and 

the range of research projects is 

correspondingly wide. 

Let's look at Switzerland and the 

canton of Basel-Landschaft. Here, 

too, hydrogen is an issue. This region 

is located on one of Europe's main 

traffic axes, disposes of an airport 

and a ship port - all this in the 

border triangle. So, if you just look at 

the mobility of tomorrow, hydrogen 

has to be an issue. 

That is also the case. IWB and 

Fritz Meyer AG recently planned a 

pilot plant for green hydrogen at the 

Birsfelden power station. However, 

the canton's building appeal commission 

has said no to this project. 

For a sister plant at the Augst power 

station, a decision by the authorities 

is still pending, writes the Basellandschaftliche 

Zeitung, but it 

assumes that this will also be 

negative. The plans are more 

concrete at the Swiss Rhine ports: 

IWB and AVIA, the umbrella 

organization of Fritz Meyer AG, are 

working together with other partners 

on the H2 Hub Switzerland. 

However, IWB and Fritz Meyer 

AG see enormous potential in the 

use of green hydrogen, especially in 

PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK 


the Basel region. "It can make a 

major contribution to decarbonization 

in the future," according to a 

joint statement from the two 

companies. "However, to gain 

experience in its application, 

hydrogen from pilot plants is 

needed in a timely manner." Green 

hydrogen will one day become an 

important location factor, they are 

convinced. 

Switzerland is also an experimental 

field for hydrogen. The 

world's first fleet of mass-produced 

Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell heavyduty 

hydrogen commercial vehicles 

has already covered five million 

kilometers here in just two years. In 

2020, the company handed over 

47 units of the hydrogen-powered, 

zero-emission commercial vehicles 

to 23 Swiss companies, which have 

since used them for logistics, distribution 

and supermarket delivery. 

This as part of a partnership project 

with H2Energy. By 2025, there 

should be 1600 vehicles, writes the 

service station operator Avia in a 

media release. For this reason, more 

and more hydrogen filling stations 

are also being put into operation. In 

March, the first one in the canton 

opened in Frenkendorf, followed by 

the second one in Pratteln next year. 

One thing is clear: Whether 

ship, airplane, truck or forklift 

truck - the success of any new 

propulsion system stands or falls 

with the refueling possibilities and 

refueling times. After all, the 

schedules in all these areas are 

very tight - and the store has to 

keep running. 

It will take a lot more investment 

in propulsion, infrastructure, 

supply chains and research in the 

pioneering era we are currently in 

before we find the ideal solutions 

for decarbonization in each case. It 

will also take people and companies 

that continue to drive this 

energy turnaround. And from 

today's perspective, green (!) 

hydrogen is a central element of 

this new era. 

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1755 square meters of solar panels are installed on the roof of Felix Transport AG in Arlesheim. PHOTO: PRIMEO ENERGIE 

Photovoltaic 

With the warmest 

recommendations 

Electricity from own production 

- this is a big topic for more and 

more companies. Felix Transport 

AG in Arlesheim has been 

operating a solar system on its 

roof since this spring, supplying 

power to itself and its 

tenants. 

Patrick Herr 

The idea was born at the end of 2020 

and it was far-sighted. The management 

of Felix Transport AG in 

Arlesheim discussed the realization 

of a photovoltaic system. Managing 

director Fabian Felix: «This in order 

to prevent possible future power 

shortages and, above all, to create 

the basis for the use of electric 

trucks in our daily operations». No 

sooner said than done. In March of 

this year, the company was able to 

announce that with an annual 

production of 376,000 kilowatt 

hours (kWh), around 60 percent of 

the total annual electricity requirements 

of the entire site can be 

covered with its own solar energy. 

1008 panels on the roof 

The 1008 solar panels installed on 

the roof in Arlesheim form a so-called 

ZEV, an "association for self-consumption". 

In a ZEV (Zusammenschluss 

zum Eigenverbrauch) - the 

name says it all - various parties 

join forces and use the solar power 

they produce themselves. In our 

example, it looks like this: The 

owner of the roof is Felix Immobilien 

AG. Thus, a ZEV exists between 

this company and Primeo Energie 

AG. Fabian Felix: "More exciting, 

however, is the association for 

self-consumption of solar power 

between Felix Immo, the tenant 

Felix Transport AG and the subtenant 

Weleda AG." Because that's 

what it's all about in the end - several 

parties joining forces and 

profiting together. 

However, it was important to 

plan well from the idea to the 

realization. Fabian Felix describes 

how the company proceeded: "We 

basically looked for partners for the 

implementation. We asked our 

existing electricity provider Primeo 

for help and were immediately 

presented with a solution that suited 

us. Since we noticed that Primeo has 

great know-how in the field and also 

thinks in a future-oriented way, we 

decided to expand our partnership. 

We entered into a contracting 


How is a ZEV formed? 

There are the following requirements 

for the formation of a ZEV: The selfgenerated 

energy must be at least ten 

percent of the energy required on site 

(the connected load). Several property 

owners in the immediate vicinity of the 

energy-producing plant can join together. 

Or the owners pass the energy on 

to the tenants on site. However, the 

latter have a free choice: they can 

join the association for their own 

consumption or continue to be supplied 

by a grid operator. At a later date, the 

tenant can only opt out of the selfsupply 

if the owner has not satisfactorily 

fulfilled its basic supply obligation. 

Incidentally, this also applies 

in the event of a change of tenant. 

agreement with Primeo Energie. In 

other words, we lease the roof to 

Primeo on a long-term basis to 

operate the plant. In return, Primeo 

has made the entire investment for 

the solar plant and maintains it 

during the agreed term. However, 

we still rely on grid power because 

we don't have electricity storage for 

solar power." 

Contracting with Primeo 

The expense for the company was 

kept within limits. Thanks to 

contracting, there was practically no 

need for investment other than the 

time involved, and the company was 

thus able to concentrate on its core 

business. Primeo also invested in 

the construction of electric charging 

stations for cars in the company's 

own parking garage and in a fastcharging 

station for cars and trucks 

on the company premises, as Fabian 

Felix explains. The offer is very 

much appreciated by the employees 

and the tenants. 

On the part of Primeo Energie, 

Robert Bösiger (Sales ZEV & Area 

Networks) was responsible for the 

project and the cooperation with 

Felix Transport: "We operate the 

ZEV area network and bill all users 

for both solar and grid electricity. 

SME customers have two electricity 

tariffs - a solar tariff, which is a 

maximum of 80 percent of the basic 

supply tariff or the market price, 

plus the electricity tariff for purchases 

from the public grid. At the same 

time, solar production, consumption 

and self-consumption percentage 

are visualized in real time via app 

and online." Many companies adopt 

such measurement data and show 

their solar production on their 

website or via screen at the reception, 

as Robert Bösiger explains, 

which also has a PR effect: Do good 

and talk about it (Henry Ford). 

The advantages of such a system are 

obvious. Robert Bösiger sums it up 

like this: "ZEV participants receive 

cheap solar power without having to 

invest in a PVA themselves. The 

higher the own consumption of 

solar power, the more favorable the 

ZEV electricity price. In addition, 

the solar power is 100 percent 

first-rate green power." 

Rising demand 

Primeo says that demand for such 

solutions is growing exponentially. 

In other words, the curve is pointing 

steeply upward. But how long does it 

take from the decision to commissioning? 

Robert Bösiger: "In view of 

rising electricity prices, higher grid 

costs and, most recently, the discussion 

about electricity shortages, the 

decision-making periods for companies 

have become noticeably shorter, 

because ultimately everyone wins - 

the investors, the ZEV participants 

and the environment. What we are 

more concerned about at the moment 

is the availability of components. 

Anyone who decides to 

optimize self-consumption or a ZEV 

today has to put up with waiting 

times for project planning and 

availability of the photovoltaic 

system and the control elements." 

The system at Felix Transport in 

Arlesheim is already running - and 

they are very satisfied with it, as 

Fabian Felix tells us: "We certainly 

made the decision to build the solar 

system at the right time. Customers 

and partner companies also keep 

asking us about implementation 

details and tips. This shows that the 

topic of electricity and solar is on 

the minds of all entrepreneurs." 

More independence 

The managing director probably 

speaks for everyone involved when 

he says he would highly recommend 

the construction of a solar plant. Not 

only because the protection of the 

environment has always been firmly 

anchored in Felix Transport's 

mission statement and has become 

even more important in recent 

years. But also, because, as Fabian 

Felix explains, "in my opinion, it 

makes sense for larger electricity 

consumers in particular to install a 

solar power system." This way, the 

cost-intensive grid expansion 

doesn't have to be pushed to the 

same extent and you become a bit 

more independent. And in addition 

to the practical and pecuniary 

arguments, there is also an emotional 

argument. "It's a joy when you 

know that you've produced a large 

part of the electricity you use 

yourself on your roof." 

www.primeo-energie.ch 


The system produces 376,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. This means that around 60 percent of the total annual electricity requirement of 

the entire site can be covered with the company's own solar energy. PHOTO: FELIX TRANSPORT AG 

Does a ZEV also work across 

multiple properties? 

Absolutely! The only decisive factor 

is that the self-produced energy is 

used on site and the distribution 

network operator's network is not 

interposed. The term «on site» is 

clearly defined as 

• contiguous plots of land, at least one 

of which borders on the plot of land on 

which the production facility is located 

• plots of land separated only by a 

road, a railroad line or a watercourse 

• if the respective landowners agreed. 


PHOTO: TESLA 

E-Mobility 

The car becomes more 

sustainable and 

completely rethought 

The future of the car is electric. 

And that's not the only change 

that e-mobility is bringing. The 

vehicles of today and tomorrow 

can do more than just drive 

from A to B. 

Patrick Herr 

Who is the largest e-car manufacturer 

in the world? No, it's not a 

German manufacturer. And again, 

no - it's not Tesla anymore either. As 

of this year, BYD is the number one 

e-car manufacturer. You may ask, 

B-Y-what is that? Well, BYD is a 

Chinese conglomerate that was 

founded in 1995 and is now one of 

the largest and most renowned 

battery manufacturers. Since 2003, 

the company has also been 

wmanufacturing cars and is now 

entering the European market. 

A battery company that makes 

cars? Really now? We realize that 

our world is changing, and many 

things are fundamentally different 

from what we are used to. That's 

nothing new. In 2007, for example, a 

computer manufacturer presented a 

new type of cell phone. Within a 

very short time, the iPhone turned 

the telecommunications industry 

(and many others) upside down and 

revolutionized it. 

Farewell to the exhaust 

It's a similar story with cars: we 

have to say goodbye to the exhaust 

humming of yesteryear. Everything 

that can be software will 

become software, someone once 

said. Now it's the car's turn. An 

electric car is nothing more than a 

battery on wheels that is powered 

by software and can do much, 

much more than drive from A to B 

without any emissions. Just like the 

smartphone is a digital pocket 

knife. 

The future of automobility is 

definitely electric. And that e-cars 

are more sustainable than combustion 

engines is undisputed. Whether 

hydrogen or e-fuel will make it 

to the filling stations in parallel is 

currently a big question mark. Even 

if the process of replacing the 

combustion engine will still take 

some time and be demanding: There 

is no way around the electric car. 

After all, China - the world's largest 

car market - is backing electromobility, 

and in Europe, too, the 

electric car is seen as the car of the 

future. 


Electricity: Is there enough? 

Against the backdrop of the current 

energy crisis, voices are repeatedly 

being raised claiming that there 

isn't even enough electricity to turn 

all combustion engines into e-cars. 

"Not true," say experts in Switzerland 

and abroad in unison. There 

are currently around 100,000 

electric vehicles in Switzerland, and 

their share of Swiss electricity 

consumption is just 0.4 percent. But 

what will it look like when all 4.6 

million vehicles are electric? Of 

course, much more electricity will 

then be needed (estimated at 

between 10 and 15 TWh - an 

increase of around 20 percent). But 

at the same time, the efficiency of 

electric vehicles will improve 

continuously and the number of 

photovoltaic systems will increase 

significantly - at best, people will fill 

up with the electricity they produce 

themselves at home. Ultimately, 

each electric car will require less 

gasoline or diesel. The production 

and distribution of electric cars also 

consume a lot of electricity, which 

can be saved. All in all, the experts 

agree that there will be enough 

electricity and that the power grid 

will also be able to cope with these 

increased demands. 

Speaking of the power grid. The 

e-car will not only drive people 

from A to B, but will also serve as a 

power storage device in the private 

power grid. In other words, a 

battery on wheels. The magic word 

is bidirectional charging. Unlike in 

the past, the flow of electricity goes 

in both directions. For example, 

from the photovoltaic system to the 

car and now also back into the 

private or business power grid. 

So, when the car is parked, 

thanks to the intelligent 

charging manager, the electricity 

from the car battery 

can be used to cook or 

power the computer. Since 

most people drive just 50 

kilometers a day, this 

does not result in a range problem. 

Speaking of power shortages, a 

modern e-car battery will supply an 

average Swiss household with 

electricity for about a week. But 

beware - there are not yet many 

cars that can charge bidirectionally. 

However, it has been recognized in 

the industry that this must be a 

standard feature in the future. 

Incidentally, with this function, the 

e-car in conjunction with a photovoltaic 

system also contributes to 

the stability of the power grid. 

Car batteries for the soccer 

stadium 

This is exactly where Ajax Amsterdam's 

stadium fits in quite nicely as 

a prime example of battery recycling. 

Since 2018, the Johan Cruijff 

Arena has been disposing of the 

largest energy storage system for 

commercial buildings in Europe. 

This consists of 590 Nissan Leaf 

e-car batteries. 250 of these batteries 

are used and have completed 

their life cycle in the e-car, but can 

very well be used as storage for 

another 10 to 15 years. 340 batteries 

are brand new. By the way, this 

storage system is powered by solar 

energy. 

When the advantages and 

disadvantages of e-mobility are 

weighed up, one hears again and 

again: To drive around the region, 

that's okay. But for longer trips, the 

electric car is unsuitable because 

there are too 

few charging stations. Today, the 

answer is a resounding "no." Tomorrow, 

recharging should no longer be 

a problem. 

In Switzerland, with its more 

than 70,000 electric vehicles, the 

situation is very good. The number 

of publicly accessible charging 

stations for electrically powered 

cars has risen steadily in recent 

years, as the statistics portal 

Statista writes. In 2021, a total of 

8142 charging stations for around 

70,200 electric vehicles were 

available in this country. In the 

European ranking of fast-charging 

stations per 100 kilometers of 

highway, Switzerland landed in 

third place in 2021. Accordingly, 

around 130 fast-charging stations 

per 100 kilometers of expressway 

are available in Switzerland. 

Incidentally, the densest charging 

network is in Norway. The oil 

nation is a pioneer in various areas 

and calls itself the "world capital of 

electric cars." 

The rest of Europe may also be 

doing well in terms of charging 

stations at first glance: 330,000 

charging stations were counted in 

the EU at the end of 2021. However, 

this total number is very unevenly 

distributed. According to an 

analysis by the Association of 

European Automobile Manufacturers 

(ACEA), half of all charging 

points for electric cars in the 

European Union are spread across 

PHOTO: VOLKSWAGEN AG 


just two countries: the Netherlands 

with 90,000 charging points and 

Germany with 60,000. On the 

sunny island of Cyprus, on the 

other hand, there are just 57 

charging stations. In between ... you 

should plan your trip carefully. 

A charging station 

every 60 kilometers 

So, the gap is wide, 

and there is still a 

lot to be done 

for longdistance 

travel 

outside Switzerland. What good is a 

range of 800 kilometers if there is 

no charging station at the destination? 

The EU has recognized this. At 

the end of October, the European 

Parliament decided that there 

should be at least one charging 

station for electric cars every 60 

kilometers along the main roads in 

the EU by 2026. Alternative 

charging stations should be 

accessible to all vehicle 

brands and payment 

should be easy and 

possible by credit 

card. It will now 

Porsche's history 

begins electrically 

Ferdinand Porsche, later founder of the company of the same 

name, was fascinated by electricity even as a teenager. As 

early as 1893, the just 18-year-old installed an electric light 

system in his parents' house. In the same year, Porsche joined 

Vereinigte Elektrizitäts-AG Béla Egger in Vienna. There, in four 

years, he rises from mechanic to head of the testing department. 

The first vehicles he designs also operate on electric 

power - so Porsche's history begins electrically. 

In 1898, Ferdinand Porsche designed the Egger-Lohner C.2 

Phaeton. The vehicle is powered by an octagonal electric 

motor; with three to five hp, it reaches a top speed of 25 km/h. 

In 1899 Porsche moved to the Viennese carriage manufacturer 

k.u.k. Hofwagenfabrik (imperial and royal coach factory) 

Ludwig Lohner & Co. 

There he developed the electric wheel hub motor. In 1900, the 

first Lohner-Porsche electric car with this innovation was 

presented at the World Exhibition in Paris. With 2 times 2.5 hp, 

it reached a top speed of 37 km/h. Lohner's reason for a 

vehicle with an electric motor sounds as relevant today as it 

did then, especially in relation to the era of mass motorization: 

the air was being «mercilessly spoiled» by the gasoline engines 

that were appearing in large numbers. PHOTO AND TEXT: PORSCHE 

depend on the member states - our 

neighbors - how quickly and how 

reliably this requirement can be 

implemented. 

Perhaps Nio's strategy will also 

prevail. The Chinese manufacturer 

is relying on its exchangeable 

battery principle. In just four 

minutes, the battery is changed at a 

«swap station.» The concept is 

already running in China, and now 

Nio is coming to Europe. 

New times for users and the 

industry 

Much will have to be rethought 

around the e-car. An internal 

combustion engine, for example, 

requires around 1500 individual 

parts, including the transmission. 

An electric motor consists of around 

200 individual parts, including the 

battery. The result is less service and 

lower maintenance costs. The 

electric car also pays for itself in this 

respect. Automatic updates are 

becoming the norm, mechanical 

interventions are less frequent, and 

the software can be accessed from 

anywhere. And once the car has 

been analyzed and the problems 

identified, the service van will come 

to the home or store or wherever the 

car is located if necessary. The 

questioning look under the hood is 

no longer necessary. For all branches 

of the automotive industry and 

for all users, the e-car is ushering in 

a whole new era. 

The development of CO 2 

-free 

e-mobility is rapid: Ever faster 

charging, ever greater range, ever 

better software, ever more powerful 

batteries. 

And what will an e-car be 

capable of in the future? Judging by 

current developments, an e-car will 

be able to do things in 20 years that 

we can't even imagine yet. Or would 

you have thought that the iPhone in 

your pocket today has a million 

times more computing power than 

the computer on Apollo 11, which 

was used to fly to the moon in 1969? 


PHOTO: RENAULT 

PHOTO: MICROLINO 

PHOTO: RENAULT 


Interview Florian Tresch 

"The idea of sustainability 

is anchored in 

people's minds" 

Florian Tresch, Head of Sustainability 

at BLKB, reveals the 

bank's sustainability strategy 

in an interview with BL Business. 

BLKB encourages its 

clientele to contribute to a 

more sustainable future. 

Delia Pfirter 

Mr. Tresch, Basellandschaftliche 

Kantonalbank has had the topic 

of sustainability written on its 

umbrella for quite some time. 

What is BLKB's philosophy? 

Florian Tresch: At BLKB, we also 

refer to sustainability as future 

orientation. At its core is the idea 

that we do today what will count 

tomorrow - in other words, we 

always act in such a way that we, 

and by that we mean society as a 

whole, can continue to meet our 

needs in the future and in the long 

term. 

After all, sustainability refers 

not only to the environment, but 

also to people and society. To 

what extent does BLKB implement 

this holistic view? 

The core message of our mission 

statement is that we take responsibility 

for people, for society as a 

whole, and for the environment 

that makes life possible for us in 

the first place. Of course, the 

environment and the climate are 

Florian Tresch, Head of Sustainability at BLKB 

currently in focus in the financial 

sector. But just as important to us 

are the individual people, be they 

our employees, our customers or 

our business partners: we are a 

people business, we work with and 

for people, and we want to do this 

together for the long term and 

successfully. As a cantonal bank 

with 158 years of roots in the 

region, it also goes without saying 

that we are part of the local society 

and can and want to give a lot back 

accordingly. 

Unfortunately, sustainability 

targets are often empty words. 

What has the bank achieved so 

far in terms of sustainability? In 

your opinion, what has been 

BLKB's greatest success in this 

area so far? 


For me, the greatest success is that 

we at BLKB have now reached the 

point where the idea of sustainability 

is firmly anchored in the minds 

of our employees and is thus 

integral to all activities on a small 

scale. This was a long and, admittedly, 

often laborious process, but 

today it enables us to have a sustainable 

impact at all levels: With our 

offerings for our customers, as an 

attractive employer for our employees, 

and as a reliable partner for 

society in the region. 

What sustainability targets has 

BLKB set itself for the next few 

years? 

Our most important goal is to keep 

our business portfolio on the net-zero 

reduction path and, if possible, to 

take our entire clientele, whether 

private individuals or companies, 

along with us on this path. On the 

one hand, this means making our 

customers aware of the impact of this 

issue on them and their business 

model. On the other hand, it also 

means that we enable our customers 

to contribute to a sustainable future 

with their financial decisions. 

What is BLKB doing to promote 

sustainable development in the 

region? 

We pursue the sustainable 

development of the region at 

various levels. As a partner 

of the regional Swiss 

Triple Impact platform 

and the Swiss 

Climate Foundation, 

we encourage 

SMEs in 

northwestern 

Switzerland to look at their business 

model and contribution to 

sustainable development and 

support their climate protection 

projects. Our two programs "100 

fürs Baselbiet" and "INQBATOR" are 

aimed at local start-ups with 

forward-looking ideas. And partnerships 

with cultural institutions 

in the region enable us to make 

theater or museums easily accessible 

to our young population in 

particular, for example. 

To what extent do sustainability 

criteria play a role in granting 

loans? 

For us, sustainability or future 

orientation is also risk management. 

We do not 

finance business models 

that will no longer 

function in the 

foreseeable future 

in line with 

social, political, 

technical 

and 

regulatory 

developments. In such cases, we 

discuss this with the customer in 

question and suggest a transition to 

a future-oriented business model, 

which we are happy to support. 

Accordingly, ESG considerations are 

an integral part of the lending 

process. 

www.blkb.ch/die-blkb/nachhaltigkeit

Innovationsprogramm 

Swiss 

Innovation 

Challenge 

At the "Award Winning Ceremony", which will take place within the framework of the BL Business 

Gala on November 24, 2022, the winner of this year's Swiss Innovation Challenge 2022 will be announced. 

Of the more than 100 participants in the innovation promotion program with competition, three 

companies still have hopes of winning after three pitch rounds. 


Previous 

SIC winners 

2021 

CondenZero 

Specimen grips that 

hold at low temperatures. 

www.condenzero.com 

2020 

AgroSustain 

Biological protective coating 

for crops prolongs freshness. 

www.agrosustain.com 

2019 

Tolremo Therapeutics 

Drug against drug resistance 

in cancer therapies. 

www.tolremo.com 

In the battle for the "Award" of the 

Swiss Innovation Challenge, three 

candidates still remain in the race. 

At the final pitch last October 25 and 

26, the expert jury of the innovation 

competition awarded the three 

podium places to aiEndoscopic AG, 

Perovskia Solar AG and Spirecut SA. 

The participants will find out 

which of the three has won the 

"Swiss Innovation Challenge 2022" 

on November 24 at the "Award 

Winning Ceremony" as part of the 

"BL Business Gala". 

aiEndoscopic AG 

Among the three first-place winners 

is aiEndoscopic AG. It combines 

artificial intelligence with 

robotic endoscopy to enable intelligent 

or even autonomous endoscopy. 

The first application is "intuBot" 

- an assistive device for easier and 

safer tracheal intubation. 

Perovskia Solar AG 

Also on the podium is Perovskia 

Solar AG. The Swiss cleantech 

startup offers digitally printed, 

customizable solar cells for original 

equipment manufacturers 

(OEMs). The solar cells are tailored 

to integrate seamlessly with 

electronic devices, IoT and sensors. 

They also work efficiently in 

low-light conditions such as homes 

and offices. 

2018 

skAD Labs 

Engineering development 

software combines design and 

simulation. 

www.skadlabs.com 

2017 

Topadur Pharma AG 

Drugs that accelerate wound 

healing and prevent scars. 

www.topadur.com 

2016 

GOLD S INC. 

Revolutionary brace 

For the correction of 

misaligned teeth. 

2015 

Apex Sports LLC 

Rubber for enduro, freeride 

and downhill tire treads for 

mountain bikes. 

www.onza-tires.com

Spirecut SA 

The third first-place winner is 

Spirecut SA. It develops ultrasoundguided 

surgical instruments to treat 

conditions such as carpal tunnel 

syndrome and snapping finger. It is 

a non-invasive technique with 

minimal skin puncture. After 

surgery, patients can immediately 

return to their daily activities. 

The Swiss Innovation Challenge 

(SIC) was launched on Business Day 

2014 by the Baselland Chamber of 

Commerce, the FHNW and the BLKB. 

In the eight editions since then, the 

innovation promotion competition 

has made a name for itself and it is 

hard to imagine the innovation scene 

without it. 

Innovation promotion 

The special feature of the Swiss 

Innovation Challenge is, that it is an 

innovation promotion program 

with competition. From more than 

100 innovation projects, in the 

course of three elimination rounds 

("pitches") 25 finalists and one 

winner ("Award Winner") are 

selected. 

The participants of the competition 

are SMEs and start-ups from all 

over Switzerland. In addition to the 

Award, participants can win special 

prizes in the fields of "Life Sciences" 

and «Construction». The competition 

lasts eight months. During this time, 

participants can attend free, useroriented 

seminars. Additionally, 

participants have access to mentoring 

and coaching programs, where 

they are supported and encouraged 

with practical knowledge. In addition 

to these benefits, participants and 

their innovation projects benefit 

from networking events and various 

publicity measures. 

In addition to an artistically 

designed trophy, the winning project 

receives prize money of 20,000 Swiss 

francs, with second and third places 

each receiving 5,000 Swiss francs. 

Coaching and mentoring 

The coaching and mentoring 

programs have proven to be particularly 

attractive for Swiss Innovation 

Challenge participants. These 

are available to participants free of 

charge, and they can continue to use 

the seminars even if they drop out of 

the competition. 

Successful project 

Since its launch in 2014 and first run 

in 2015, the Swiss Innovation 

Challenge has supported over 700 

projects, contributed to the creation 

of over more than 1,500 jobs and 

awarded more than CHF 400,000 in 

prize money and support services. 


The 3 phases of the SIC 

The Swiss Innovation Challenge starts every year with the kick-off event. After that, 

the competition is divided into three phases: 

Phase 1 – Sharpening the business idea and creating a short presentation. 

The first phase of the Swiss Innovation Challenge involves sharpening the business 

idea and preparing a short presentation within three months. The prerequisite 

for admission to the first selection presentation, the first pitch, is the formulation 

of one’s own innovation idea on two A4 pages. The first pitch lasts three minutes. 

After that, the jury decides which participants belong to that half of the field of 

participants that will make it to the next phase. 

Phase 2 – Translating the business idea into a business plan 

The second phase of the Swiss Innovation Challenge lasts another three months. 

During this time, the business idea is fleshed out, a business plan is drawn up and 

the presentation is expanded. A prerequisite for admission to the second selection 

presentation, the second pitch, is the formulation of a professional business plan 

based on the innovation concept. This business plan should comprise 15 to 30 

pages. The second pitch lasts five minutes. As in Phase 1, the jury again divides 

the field of participants. Only half make it to Phase 3. 

Phase 3 – Implementation plan and preparation of a final presentation 

In the third phase of the Swiss Innovation Challenge, the business plan is refined 

and the presentation finalized. A prerequisite for admission to the third selection 

presentation, the final pitch, is an implementation plan. A core element of the 

sales documentation is a video pitch that presents the innovation idea as well as 

possible. The third pitch lasts seven minutes. After that, the jury will determine 

the winners of the Swiss Innovation Challenge and the two special prizes. 

The winners will be announced at the Award-Winning-Ceremony. In addition to 

practical experience, networking in the business community, sparring and contacts 

with potential funders, the Swiss Innovation Challenge also offers prizes for participants. 

The winner receives CHF 20,000 and the runners-up CHF 5,000 each. 


Interview Thomas Kübler 

Salina Raurica: 

suspension should 

be ended 

Thomas Kübler has been head of 

Standortförderung Baselland 

since 2016. This supports and 

advises companies in the search 

for sites and real estate, in 

start-ups and in economic and 

location issues. In an interview, 

Kübler comments on the current 

framework conditions in 

Baselbiet. 


BL Business: Mr. Kübler, 

the year 2022 is a very 

eventful one that also 

exerts strong influences 

on companies 

and the economy. To 

what extent do these 

current difficulties 

influence the promotion 

of Baselland 

as a business 

location? 

Thomas Kübler: The 

contacts with the companies 

show the uncertainties 

regarding the global economic 

situation, the geopolitical risks, 

the supply chain bottlenecks and 

for some months now also the 

energy shortage and currently the 

energy price development. Despite 

these general conditions, the 

majority of companies have had a 

very good year so far. 

What success stories can you 

highlight in this regard for 2022? 

Demand for premises and sites for 

corporate development remains 

high. We are seeing sustained 

positive momentum in the development 

sites in Arlesheim, Allschwil 

and also in the Pratteln area. In the 

Arlesheim Schorenareal of "uptownBasel" 

it is very high. It is fantastic 

to see what is being built there and 

how the location is becoming 

known far beyond the country's 

borders. Similar applies to the 

Switzerland Innovation Park and 

the entire development in the 

Bachgraben area and the BaseLink 

site. 

What role does the topic of 

sustainability play in attracting 

new companies to the Basel area? 

The topic is and will become increasingly 

important - and this applies 

to all three pillars of sustainability. 

In entrepreneurial terms, the 

settlement or company development 

must be successful in the long term 

anyway. Social sustainability is high 

on the list of priorities for entrepreneurial 

activity. The accentuating 

shortage of skilled 

workers further reinforces 

this process. Employees 

want to be able to 

identify with the values 

of the company and 

critically question the 

actions of potential 

employers during job 

interviews. Ecological 

sustainability has also 

become an integral part 

of entrepreneurial 

activity. The site on which 

a project is to be realized, 

the ecological footprint of 

suppliers and transport media, 

the company's own production 

process, the sustainable and ecological 

energy supply - no project 

today can do without ensuring all 

these points. 

What development projects will 

you be working on in the Basel 

area over the next few years - 

where will you be focusing your 

efforts? 


The site developments in Allschwil 

and Arlesheim, which have already 

been mentioned several times, will 

be continued, and there are also 

developments in Chuenimatt in 

Pratteln. Other sites that are now 

available are also coming to the fore: 

Together with the municipality of 

Birsfelden and the Swiss Rhine 

ports, we are working to develop the 

port of Birsfelden - one of our 

largest industrial sites - in the 

sustainable sense mentioned above 

and to create the conditions for its 

use to move forward. In Liestal, the 

city is intensively engaged in the 

economic repositioning, which it 

wants to combine with a site development 

on the Rheinstrasse. The 

Liestal health hub should offer great 

potential for Liestal and the canton. 

In Laufen, the reconstruction of the 

Brandplatz on Wahlenstrasse is on 

the agenda. An area of around 

50 000 square meters will thus be 

put back on the market. In the 

Oberbaselbiet region, the impetus 

provided by the commissioning of 

the new Waldenburgerbahn is to be 

exploited. Other traffic projects such 

as the Bachgraben-Allschwil feeder 

road, the trinational S-Bahn access 

with the planned Morgartenring 

stop, the SBB Basel-Delémont 

double-track expansion and the new 

Rhine tunnel will accompany the 

site developments in the coming 

years and decades. 

What about the Salina Raurica 

development area, which has 

recently come up for discussion 

again due to a location decision 

by the Bachem company, which is 

now expanding into the Fricktal? 

The availability of a suitably suitable 

plot of land was not a reason for 

excluding Bachem. We were in with 

a very good site until the very end, 

and the evaluation of the last two 

sites then went in favor of the 

Fricktal - and we are pleased that 

Bachem is not only currently 

investing over 500 million Swiss 

francs in Bubendorf, but is also 

implementing further projects in 

the region of northwestern Switzerland. 

The task now is to end the 

suspension of the planning work of 

Salina Raurica after the No to the 

streetcar extension and to finally 

put this site to economic use. 

What stumbling blocks, but also 

what opportunities and prospects 

do you see for the site from 

the canton's point of view? 

The preparatory work for the use 

made good progress before the vote 

for the streetcar extension. After the 

vote, the planning work was suspended. 

We are very interested in 

ending this suspension soon. We see 

very good potential for the site due to 

its transport links and location, and 

thus definitely opportunities for it to 

develop into a starting point and hub 

for IT, e-mobility and high-tech 

supplier companies. We worked this 

out at the time together with the 

owners, the business associations 

and external experts and brought it 

into the project competition. 

You've already mentioned the 

highly prosperous Bachgraben 

area in Allschwil - there, infrastructure 

construction is barely 

keeping pace with corporate 

construction activity. How can 

this be solved in a timely 

manner? 

A comparison of the two areas 

reveals an exciting contrast: In Salina 

Raurica, the traffic infrastructure 

should be built first and the economic 

development should follow. In the 

Bachgraben area, economic development 

has progressed much faster 

than infrastructure development. 

With the Bachgraben feeder road 

(Zuba), the streetcar plans and the 

connection of the Bachgraben area to 

the trinational S-Bahn system via the 

new Morgartenring stop, we have 

weighty and potent solutions at hand. 

In addition, many new companies 

that have moved in already have their 

own mobility management systems 

in place, which significantly reduces 

their vulnerability to high traffic 

volumes. The canton and the municipality 

are in close contact with the 

local companies and have already 

held two workshops on the subject of 

mobility management and have 

worked out ideas and approaches to 

alleviate the problem. 

We would like to put ourselves in 

a conversation with a company 

that is interested in locating in 

Switzerland. What are the main 

arguments you use to make 

Baselbiet palatable to the CEO? 

By choosing Baselbiet as a location, 

your company will become part of 

one of the most innovative regions 

in Europe, indeed in the world. You 

will find an extremely stimulating 

ecosystem here with numerous 

companies, suppliers and customers. 

The infrastructure is excellently 

developed, the workforce is 

highly trained and committed, the 

distances to politics and administration 

are short, and Baselbiet is 

also an exceptionally beautiful place 

to live. 

www.economy-bl.ch 


Labels 

Finding your way 

through the flood 

of labels 

Sustainability labels are important 

orientation aids when shopping. 

But what are they actually 

worth and how can you find out? 

BL Business provides a brief 

overview. 

Delia Pfirter 

Organic Bud, Demeter, IP-Suisse, 

Fairtrade Max Havelaar ¬- the list 

goes on and on. Sustainability labels 

are a dime a dozen. In the food 

sector alone, there are around 70 

such certifications, and the number 

is growing. They have become 

important orientation aids when it 

comes to making purchases that are 

as socially and environmentally 

responsible as possible. Labels make 

it easier for consumers to make 

purchasing decisions. 

«Labelinfo.ch» creates an 

overview 

However, it is often difficult to see 

what the individual labels stand for 

and how reliable the certification 

actually is. To make matters worse, 

they can be misused for marketing 

purposes. The "Labelinfo.ch" 

website, for example, an information 

center for environmental and 

social labels operated by the Pusch 

Foundation since 2001, offers some 

help in this regard. Labels are 

evaluated according to the criteria of 

environmental protection, animal 

welfare, social standards, fairness 

and transparency. Labelinfo.ch 

currently offers information on 135 

quality labels and 19 declarations in 

German and French, making it by 

far the most comprehensive database 

on this subject in Switzerland. 


Bio Suisse Bud "excellent" 

The bud is one of the best-known 

quality seals in Switzerland. But 

what exactly does the Bud stand for? 

The products come from organic 

farming and at least 90 percent of 

the raw materials used come from 

Switzerland. Bud products meet a 

standard that goes far beyond the 

legal requirements. Labelinfo.ch 

rates the Bud as "excellent"; the 

quality seal achieves very good 

values in all assessment categories. 

The Bud also stands for particularly 

species-appropriate livestock 

husbandry and feeding with predominantly 

organic feed and testifies 

that the product comes from a 

whole-farm organic production. 

Natural cultivation without synthetic 

chemical agents and genetic 

engineering as well as animal 

husbandry appropriate to the 

species are cornerstones of the label. 

The guidelines are adhered to 

throughout the entire value chain, 

including abroad. 

Fish label ASC "recommendable" 

The ASC label distinguishes fish 

from sustainable fish farming. Only 

fish products that do not contain 

acutely endangered fish species may 

be used for feeding. In addition, it is 

stipulated that ASC-certified farms 

may only purchase fish meal and 

fish oil from responsible sources. 

Furthermore, the mixing of farmed 

fish with a species naturally occurring 

in the region must be prevented. 

No medicines may be administered 

for preventive treatment of the 

fish. Labelinfo.ch rates the ASC seal 

of approval as "recommendable". 

The biggest point deductions are in 

the "climate" category, which is due 

to the long transport routes and the 

costly refrigeration of fish products. 

In the "Processes and Control" 

category, however, the ASC label 

achieves top scores, according to 

Labelinfo.ch. 

Would you like to find out more 

about other labels? At www. 

labelinfo.ch you will find interesting 

information on many other 

labels. 


Interview David Bosshart 

"Social 

sustainability is the 

most importante" 

David Bosshart is president of the 

Duttweiler Foundation and 

founder of Bosshart & Partners, 

global and local speaker, thought 

leader and author. Previously, he 

was CEO of the Duttweiler Institute 

for 22 years. 


Corona, energy, skilled workers, 

money and interest rate market, 

Ukraine war, EU framework agreement 

- can the Swiss economy even 

save itself from all the crises and 

problems at the moment? 

David Bosshart: The only decisive 

factor is whether we remain capable 

of action and can implement sensible 

goals together. In the now long-lasting 

prosperity, we have generously 

forgotten that crises, wars and 

catastrophes have always deeply 

shaped our lives and memories. This 

has also made us robust as people 

and as a society and strengthened 

our sense of what is feasible. Today, 

we live too much by wishful thinking 

and are trapped in a multitude 

of vulnerable bubbles, especially 

when it comes to technology and 

financial markets. In contrast, our 

language has stealthily adapted to 

change as a telltale indicator: it has 

become militarized and now increasingly 

shapes our thoughts and 

actions - trade wars, currency wars, 

product offensives, discount battles, 

material battles, war for the best 

talent, headhunters, shareholder 

activists and hostile takeovers, 

information as weapons and propaganda 

as brainwashing. It is no 

coincidence that you see more 

generals and no more CEOs as 

keynote speakers at events. 

Today, we live too 

much on wishful 

thinking and 

are trapped in a 

multitude of vulnerable 

bubbles, especially 

when it comes to 

technology and f 

inancial markets. 

The economy does not live primarily 

from solving problems, but from 

development, innovation, good 

ideas and strategies for the future. 

Is this increasingly being left by the 

wayside in view of the current 

problem-ridden day-to-day business? 

We have to find the human measure 

again. Entrepreneurial people want 

to shape, not simply react. The 

perceived rapid pace of change has 

made us more stressful, but not really 

smarter. The agenda is full, but the 

head is too often empty. What exactly 

are "good ideas," what is «meaningful 

growth,» and what is just "more of the 

same"? What externalities do we 

need to factor into pricing in the 

future? We desperately need growth, 

but growth for growth's sake is 

cancer cell logic. The pressure for 

companies to grow has become much 

more aggressive in the interconnected 

world of interdependencies. 

Either you are Google or Microsoft 

and have quasi-monopoly positions. 

Or you are clearly positioned and 

have unique selling points. Otherwise, 

you quickly find yourself in price 

wars. 

The topic of the hour is sustainable 

management. In times of shortages 

and supply bottlenecks, the question 

arises as to the balance between 

desire and reality. How can 

this apparent contradiction be 

resolved? 

In the 1970s, we spoke of "oil crisis" 

and "environmental pollution". 

Today, we speak of "energy crisis" 

and "climate change". This vividly 

illustrates the changes in perception. 

Sustainability costs money, a lot of 

money. Switzerland is rich, very 

rich, and can play a pioneering role. 

But we must not be naïve about the 

time horizon. Economy is always 

just an energy conversion system. 

Our formula for success in the West 

has so far been: "Prosperity democracy 

= economic growth = growth 

CO₂ emissions (in total) = social 

peace". We generously overlook the 


fact that digitalization does not 

mean dematerialization, and that we 

will need more energy than ever. 

Digitalization is the new industrialization. 

The dependence on steel, 

concrete, plastic, etc. cannot simply 

be shaken off or replaced. Therefore, 

the transition to the world of 

renewables will take much longer. 

New questions are growing faster 

than answers - from artificial 

intelligence to cryptocurrencies to 

biotechnology. Regulatory density 

We overlook 

generously that 

digitization does not 

mean dematerialization, 

and that we will 

need more energy 

than ever. 

will increase. All of this is also 

slowing down again. And we need to 

ask ourselves what the new formula 

for success is. 

The Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute is 

concerned with the trends and 

social changes of the future - where 

are we headed, what will the 

economy and consumers have to 

adapt to in the coming years and 

decades? 

We are in an intermediate phase. We 

just don't know between «what" 

we are in. The current 

mixed situation consists 

of a multitude of disparate 

yet connected 

trouble spots: War, 

inflation, sovereign 

debt, pandemic, energy, 

cybercrime, sustainability. 

What does 

leadership mean here? 

Artificial intelligence 

can complement, but 

not replace, a prime 

minister or president 

in an advisory 

capacity. In leadership, 

we need sober, 

patient people who 

do not immediately despair and 

allow themselves to be distracted by 

stupidity. We will still be doing well 

in rich Switzerland in ten years' 

time. But one-sided experiences of 

abundance will increasingly go hand 

in hand with experiences of scarcity. 

Take the intermediate phase as a 

phase of purification, of catharsis. 

Many people are very 

unsettled - where will it 

all lead, what will 

digitalization or 

artificial intelligence 

do to us, how and 

where will I work in a 

few years, how will I 

still manage with 

my money, will I 

have to replace 

my car, my 

heating? How 

justified are these 

fears about the 

future and how can 

we counter them? 

Of all the sustainability 

issues, social sustainability 

is by far the most 

important. Social trouble 

spots are increasing everywhere. 

Inhibition 

thresholds are 

falling - what 

do 

people orient themselves to? Is Elon 

Musk a role model or simply a genius 

sociopath? It's not technological 

complexity that's the main problem, 

it's social complexity. Never before 

have so many people failed to understand 

what is happening to them. As 

with diseases, people go to more and 

more specialists as they 

get older. But they 

contradict each 

other and the 

overall 

result is 

high

costs and latent dissatisfaction. Then 

you go to complementary medicine. If 

this is also unsatisfactory, it becomes 

more esoteric, because there are 

charlatans everywhere. And last but 

not least, one indulges in conspiracy 

theories. There is a lack of common 

sense, or as the English say, common 

sense - the senses that bind us 

together. This has become the most 

precarious resource. Happy people 

are those who have a good job, work 

together with their colleagues on 

interesting projects, and regularly 

exchange ideas and celebrate with 

each other. They don't fall into a hole 

so quickly. 

A few years ago, globalization was 

THE big economic issue. The 

pandemic and now the energy 

crisis are making us think in 

smaller and more stubborn ways 

again. An interlude or a sustainable 

trend? 

Globalization goes on and on, of 

course, with digitalization, but if 

we trade and exchange less, measured 

prosperity declines. Our world 

has become a political world first 

again since the now obvious 

U.S.-China imperial conflict, and 

that costs a lot, too. The search for 

Inhibition thresholds 

are falling. What do 

people orient themselves 

to? Is Elon Musk a 

role model or simply a 

brilliant sociopath? 

smaller entities that are reliable 

and can enforce decisions is an 

understandable and, at its core, 

reasonable response. Smaller 

nations like Switzerland, Denmark 

or Norway are doing well. In 

Europe, we should be concerned 

about the quality of the governments 

of the larger, once dominant 

countries. Where will Germany, 

England be in 2030? Italy has 

always been a special case and 

France is too weak for a leadership 

role. 

In one of your presentation topics, 

you ask the question: Are we still 

normal? Are we? 

Let's put it this way: the hunger for 

normality, for the concrete, and the 

search for security are likely to 

increase in the coming years. For a 

long time, we were hungry for the 

exotic. Any non-conformity was 

celebrated. The further away from 

home something was, the more 

interesting and desirable it seemed. 

Now we are learning that when 

nonconformity is the new conformity, 

there is social stasis. We 

humans are social and sensual 

creatures and need local anchors to 

feel comfortable and thrive. Even 

the digital world is brimming with 

local metaphors: platforms, chat 


Heike van de Kerkhof, CEO of Archroma 

PHOTO: ARCHROMA 

Paid Content Archroma 

Archroma, creating 

colors and effects in a 

more sustainable way 

Archroma is a global leading 

specialty chemicals company 

serving industries such as textile, 

fashion, packaging, paper, and 

paints. Headquartered in HDW 

(Haus der Wirtschaft) in Pratteln, 

the company operates in about 100 

countries. 

Heike van de Kerkhof, who has 

more than 30 years of experience in 

the chemicals, oil, gas and materials 

industries, is the CEO of 

Archroma since January 2020. She 

shares her view on how garments 

and packaging can become much 

more sustainable with carefully 

selected dyeing and surface treatments. 

"There is growing stakeholder 

pressure on industry to reduce its 

footprint. I can truly say that 

Archroma, with its 125 years of 

heritage, has played a critical role 

in enabling sustainability in the 

industries we serve. 

We have continuously invested 

in R&D and innovation, and as a 

result, Archroma offers state-ofthe-art, 

more sustainable products 

such as aniline-free* Indigo for 

denim, fluorine free* Smartrepel® 

water-repellent fabric treatments , 

or EarthColors® dyes made from 

herbal and food waste. 

With the acquisition of the 

Textile Effects division of Huntsman 

Corporation, which includes a site in 

Basel and which is expected to be 

finalized in 2023, our combined 

expertise and portfolio will allow us 

to offer to our customers and partners 

the innovative solutions they 

need to reduce energy and water 

consumption, and the corresponding 

cost and CO 2 

footprint. 

With our Swiss roots and values, 

we help to shape a more sustainable 

world." 

*Below limits of detection according to 

industry standard test methods. 

www.archroma.com 


European Food Trends Report 

The great 

entanglement 

How will mankind feed itself 

today and tomorrow? The Gottlieb 

Duttweiler Institute's European 

Food Trends Report looks at 

this existential issue. . 

Christine Schäfer* 

Depleted soils, multi-resistant 

germs, overturned waters: this is no 

longer a dystopia, but a shadow side 

of the industrial landscape - threatening 

the food supply. A supply that 

is already under pressure due to 

climate change and global conflicts. 

Is hunger returning? Or will modern 

technologies such as lab-grown 

meat, digital precision farming, 

vertical farms, genetically modified, 

more robust varieties, and more 

sustainable as well as equitable 

agriculture help us reverse the 

trend? 

Humans as an ecosystem 

Allowing the environment around 

us to recover is in our best interest: 

Not only because we depend on its 

resources, but also because we 

ourselves are a part of this nature - 

and to a much greater extent than 

we previously assumed. Humans, 

with their many trillions of microbes, 

are also an ecosystem. They live 

in our intestines, stick to our 

mucous membranes, and live on our 

skin. Without them we are nothing 

- or much less, but certainly not able 

to survive. 

These bacteria and fungi not only 

determine our metabolism. They 

also influence our health. What's 

more, these primordial creatures, 

which were on this planet long 

before us, are directly connected to 

our brain and can thus also influence 

our moods, our nature. We cannot 

say exactly where the human ends 

and the microbe begins. We are 

interwoven. 

This puts to the test our selfimage, 

which for a long time was 

based on a separation of body and 

mind, of man and nature. Developments 

in modern genetic engineering, 

synthetic biology, and also new 

technologies in food production also 

show that the boundary between 

biology and technology is becoming 

increasingly blurred. 

With research into the microbiome, 

we have found a powerful 

key to our well-being and health. 

Which microbes feel at home with 

us has to do with our contact with 

the environment, with our behavior, 

but of course above all with our 

diet. After all, we take in a bit of 

«environment» with every meal we 

eat. 

The "in-world" destruction 

As a result, our inside reflects the 

outside. As the abundance of species 

around us declines, so does the 

diversity in our microbiome. Today, 

people in industrialized areas have 

only half as many microbial species 

as people who have had little exposure 

to Western civilization. So, in 

addition to environmental degradation, 

there is also «in-world» degradation. 

It is associated by microbiologists 

with many diseases of 

civilization and modern autoimmune 

diseases. 

In a world that is enmeshed, we 

must think in terms of connections 

if we are to combat hunger, disease 

and environmental degradation 

simultaneously. So that we can feed 

the world's growing population in a 

healthy way, while maintaining or 

even revitalizing the ecosystems 

around and within us. You can find 

out more about this topic in the 

latest "European Food Trends 

Report" from the Gottlieb Duttweiler 

Institute, which can be obtained 

online free of charge. 

*Researcher Gottlieb Duttweiler 

Institut 


CO₂ 6% 

19% 

Food waste is responsible for 

6% of global greenhouse gas 

emissions. 

1% 

Today, 1% of the world is a barely 

habitable high-temperature 

zone. By 2070, this percentage 

could increase to 19%. 

Between 720 and 811 million 

people in the world were affected 

by hunger in 2020. Some 

660 million people could still 

be hungry in 2030, due in part 

to the lingering effects of the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

70% of the world's diverted 

freshwater is used for 

agriculture. 


Food 

Fresh fish from 

Birsfelden 

There is a lot of potential for 

sustainability in Swiss fish. 

Instead of importing, fish can 

also be farmed in aquacultures. 

Migros opened such a facility in 

our region two years ago. 

Patrick Herr 

The demand for fish from Swiss 

waters has been rising steadily for 

years. And at the same time, this fish 

should also come from sustainable 

production. On the other hand, 

Swiss waters are too clean and offer 

the fish too few nutrients. As a 

result, less remains in the nets, 

because the fish population is 

declining and more and more fish 

has to be imported. Almost all fish 

and seafood that end up on Swiss 

plates are imported. According to 

the statistics portal Statista, 76 400 

tons were imported from abroad in 

2021. 

This is not sustainable and this is 

not what consumers want. So, what 

can be done? Two years ago, Migros 

found a solution that was as unusual 

as it was sustainable. It started 

breeding fish itself in Birsfelden. 

The goal is to produce fish from 

sustainable sources all year round, 

with as small an ecological footprint 

as possible. 

The aquaculture facility was put 

into operation in September 2020, 

after a total of five years of planning 

work. Migros described it as a 

pioneering project on the occasion of 

the opening. Whitefish are produced 

at the Birsfelden aquaculture facility. 

Migros spokesman Patrick Stöpper: 

"In 2021, we were unfortunately only 

able to harvest about 30 tons. The 

values for 2022 will be at a comparable 

level. In the future, we are 

planning on 240 tons of biomass per 

year, which, with a target yield of 50 

percent, this will result in 120 tons 

of whitefish fillets." 

36 tanks for thousands of fish 

There are 36 tanks in the basement 

of Swiss Aqua and several thousand 

fish swim in each one. Thanks to this 

recirculation system, more Swiss 

whitefish are coming from domestic 

breeding again. From where the 

consumers are at home. Long 


The aquaculture facility is located in the basement of an industrial building owned by Migros subsidiary Delica in Birsfelden. 

PHOTO: MIGROS 

transport routes can thus be avoided. 

But not only that. Thanks to these 

recirculation systems, a healthy stock 

and product quality can be ensured. 

A sophisticated system also guarantees 

careful handling and optimal use 

of natural resources such as water, 

heat and space, explains Migros. The 

basins in Birsfelden are designed to 

be self-cleaning. The water is continuously 

cleaned of solids and dissolved 

substances and discharged. All 

solid materials are removed from the 

water in drum filters. The water with 

the dissolved impurities then enters a 

biofilter, where it is purified by 

bacteria. Migros uses only fish from 

its own breeding. The fish are reproduced 

and raised in eastern Germany 

in a breeding facility that belongs to 

Migros Industries. They are reproduced 

in a controlled environment so 

that natural stocks are not threatened, 

Migros emphasizes. After four to six 

months, the animals come to Birsfelden 

to the large, bubbling tanks. Here, 

as in nature, they travel in swarms, 

constantly receive fresh water and 

move around in optimal temperature 

and oxygen conditions. After another 

three to four months, they reach their 

target weight of around 300 grams. 

And when that time comes, the fish 

are finally processed on site. 

The whitefish is demanding 

The development of whitefish 

aquaculture is proving challenging, 

says Migros spokesman Patrick 

Stöpper: "Whitefish is a diva and 

breeding is correspondingly 

demanding, which has also had an 

impact on production, which in 

part remained below expectations. 

In the meantime, however, we are 

very satisfied and can produce the 

planned quantities. We are still 

convinced of our concept, have set 

the course and are on track." 

The response from customers has 

been consistently positive, Migros 

notes: "Recently, we had a promotion 

with our whitefish in 

Migros and were overwhelmed 

by the sales: The entire fish 

was sold and we could have sold 

a lot more." 


Swiss Sustainability Challenge 

An award for 

sustainability 

Since 2017, the University of 

Applied Sciences Northwestern 

Switzerland (FHNW) has announced 

the Swiss Sustainability 

Challenge (SSC). In the Corona 

year 2020, more than 40 projects 

were received - and this year the 

award for social and ecological 

sustainability projects will be 

presented again. 

Daniel Schaub 

The call for participation in the 

Swiss Sustainability Challenge (SSC) 

is aimed at individuals or teams who 

would like to promote social and 

environmental sustainability with a 

project, regardless of whether it is a 

start-up or a non-profit project and 

whether the projects are still in their 

infancy or have already taken the 

first steps towards implementation. 

While the focus used to be primarily 

on students as the Swiss Student 

Sustainability Challenge, today's 

SSC is open to all young people and 

their ideas. 

Participants are actively supported 

in developing their ideas into 

projects and then successfully 

implementing them. They benefit 

from individual coaching by experienced 

experts, free participation 

in seminars and workshops, and the 

opportunity to network with other 

teams. The three most convincing 


projects are each presented with the 

Pax Sustainability Award by a jury. 

The evaluation scheme of the Swiss 

Sustainability Challenge is based on 

the Sustainable Innovation Canvas 

developed by the FHNW, which combines 

elements and findings from 

existing instruments. The Sustainable 

Innovation Canvas is an instrument 

for the systematic (further) 

development of young organizations 

in different development phases and 

with different business models (e.g., 

non-profit, for-profit, social startups) 

and focuses in particular on the 

ecological and social impact of the 

projects. 

"Sustainability-oriented entrepreneurs 

are altruistically oriented 

to a high degree. This term is seldom 

used today; most of the time, there is 

talk of an ethical motivation". 

However, I find that it is precisely 

the decided altruism that defines 

sustainable entrepreneurs," says 

project leader Prof. Dr. Claus-Heinrich 

Daub, lecturer in sustainable 

business management at the FHNW 

School of Business. 

The Swiss Sustainability Challenge 

provides participants with services 

worth the equivalent of around CHF 

70 000 of which CHF 20 000 will be 

distributed as prize money for the best 

three projects. Participants benefit 

from a comprehensive support 

program, whereby they are free to 

decide which offers they would like to 

make use of, depending on their 

individual level of knowledge and 

needs. All support services are free of 

charge for the participating teams. 

What is sustainability? 

«Sustainability» is much more than simply 

protecting the climate. To satisfy 

their material and immaterial needs, 

people need economic well-being and a 

society based on solidarity. That is 

why the concept of sustainability is 

based on three pillars: social, economic 

and ecological. Sustainable development 

can only become a reality 

through the simultaneous and equal 

implementation of goals in all three 

sub-areas. 

www.sustainabilitychallenge.ch 

Social sustainability 

Improving the quality of human life and 

coexistence is the ultimate goal of 

sustainable development. Issues include 

human rights, health, equality or 

inclusion. 

Economic sustainability 

The well-being of people can only be 

enhanced by promoting economic development 

that enables greater prosperity 

without negatively affecting social, 

environmental and cultural aspects of 

the community. 

Ecological sustainability 

Responsible and efficient use of natural 

resources secures the ecological livelihoods 

of people today and in the future. 

Economic, social and ecological processes 

are closely interlinked. The Swiss 

Sustainability Challenge therefore 

specifically promotes projects, initiatives 

and start-ups that keep all three 

dimensions in mind and thus make an 

effective contribution to sustainable 

development. 

Source: Swiss Sustainability Challenge 


Wood building material 

Sustainable and 

future-oriented 

The use of wood in construction 

makes sense in terms of energy 

and climate policy. Trees extract 

CO 2 

from the air and at the same 

time return oxygen. The carbon 

bound in the tree remains stored 

for decades when wood is used 

for buildings and wood-based 

materials. 

Delia Pfirter 

What comes to mind when you hear 

the term wood? Possibly cozy hours 

in the mountains in a rustic wooden 

chalet or, quite simply, the wonderful 

smell of the forest. Above all, wood is 

an important building material - and 

unlike other building materials, it has 

weighty advantages: Trees need only 

sunlight, nutrient salts and rain to 

thrive; wood growth requires no 

additional energy. Furthermore, no 

pollutants are produced during the 

«manufacturing» process; on the 

contrary, wood binds carbon dioxide 

from the air as it grows, which is of 

enormous importance in view of the 

climate change. Each cubic meter of 

wood fixes the carbon from about one 

ton of CO 2 

. 

Replace building materials that 

are harmful to the climate 

The managed Swiss forest is a natural 

CO 2 

degrader: year after year, it 

absorbs about ten percent of Switzerland's 

total CO 2 

emissions. If harvested 

wood is converted into durable 

products such as parquet flooring, 

facades or entire wooden buildings, 

the carbon bound by the tree remains 

removed from the natural cycle for 

decades. 

But: The most sustainable benefit 

from the use of wood is the replacement 

of conventional building 

materials. In general, the manufacture 

of most wood products requires 

significantly less energy than the 

manufacture of other common 

building materials, which significantly 

minimizes greenhouse gas emissions. 

Since less energy generally needs 

to be put into the manufacturing 

process of wood products, this 

building material fares much better 

in a direct comparison with other 

industrially produced building 

materials, which are more energy-intensive. 

"If the residual wood produced 

is consistently thermally recycled, 

every additional cubic meter of 

solid wood mass consumed in the 

construction industry in Switzerland 

saves around another ton of carbon 

dioxide," explains Michael Meuter, 

information officer at Lignum, the 

umbrella organization of the Swiss 

forestry and timber industry. 

Buildings responsible for 24 

percent of CO 2 

emissions 

Building with wood and giving 

preference to wood and wood-based 

materials for structural timber 

engineering, interior finishing, 

furniture and flooring are therefore 


efficient measures in favor of climate 

protection. Michael Widmer, Managing 

Director of Holzwerkstoffe 

Schweiz (Wood-Based Panels Switzerland), 

explains, "Wood as a 

building material is gaining enormous 

importance, and rightly so: 

from an ecological and aesthetic 

point of view, wood has a lot to offer." 

Switzerland aims to be climate 

neutral by 2050. To be able to achieve 

this ambitious goal, it is imperative 

that the construction industry 

becomes more ecological. A full 45 

percent of Switzerland's primary 

energy consumption is currently 

accounted for by the construction and 

operation of buildings. In addition, 

the construction and operation of 

buildings still account for 24 percent 

of Switzerland's greenhouse gas 

emissions. 

Diverse use of wood 

A large number of new buildings are 

expected to be built in Switzerland 

over the next few years. In addition, 

there will be countless old buildings 

that will have to be retrofitted to meet 

Swiss energy and climate requirements. 

The use of wood reduces the 

amount of gray energy in a building, 

precisely because the production of 

the raw material does not consume 

any energy of its own, such as the 

production of concrete or other 

building materials. Michael Widmer 

explains: "Particularly in the area of 

wood-based materials, there are 

virtually no limits to the variety. Also 

due to the problem-free combination 

with other materials, wood becomes 

a universal building material that can 

meet almost all requirements and 

substitute other building materials." 

If wood is also obtained, processed 

and installed locally, there is another 

plus point in terms of gray energy: 

the transport distances are particularly 

short. Timber that comes from 

Switzerland can be labeled with the 

"Swiss Timber Label." The Swiss 

origin stands for responsible, sustainable 

use of wood and forests. Since 

PHOTO: ZVG MICHAEL MENTER, ZÜRICH/LIGNUM 


2012, the label has been applied to the 

entire forest area of Switzerland. 

Unfortunately, however, there are 

fewer and fewer manufacturers of 

wood-based materials in Switzerland 

and there is a heavy reliance on 

imports for these products. 

FSC and PEFC guarantee for 

sustainable wood 

But how else can you tell whether the 

wood you buy has really been supplied 

in an environmentally friendly way? 

In addition to the Swiss Wood label, 

there are two other established 

quality seals for this purpose: The FSC 

and PEFC certification systems 

guarantee for environmentally 

compatible origin, extraction and 

further processing into the end 

product. The aim is 

to preserve 

forests for 

future generations and to promote 

responsible forest management that 

takes into account economic, social 

and ecological aspects. "Sustainability 

is very important to us, and all of our 

five sites are FSC and PEFC certified," 

says Philipp Leibundgut, deputy CEO 

of the Woodpecker Group AG. The 

timber wholesale company is familyrun 

and is one of the largest and most 

experienced timber trading companies 

on the Swiss market. Leibundgut 

adds that wood also performs very 

well in terms of compliance with 

energy-related "Minergie" standards, 

as the building material, with its low 

thermal conductivity, already has a 

positive energy balance by nature. «It 

also makes a lot of sense for energy 

efficiency to increasingly use wood 

and thus replace energy-intensive 

conventional building materials,» says 

Philipp Leibundgut. 

The challenge of circular 

economy 

However, for building 

materials to be truly 

sustainable in the long run, they 

must remain in the cycle for as long 

as possible. In a sustainable circular 

economy, materials are reused, 

refurbished or recycled for as long as 

possible. This is the next challenge 

for the industry and the construction 

sector. At the moment, the holistic 

view is often still missing in practice, 

as deconstruction has to be taken into 

account already in the planning 

phase, which involves financial 

effort. For a recyclable construction, a 

clean separation of layers and the 

simplest possible reversible connections 

are needed. If wood is processed, 

adhesive glue is often needed, 

which can be a difficulty during 

demolition for raw material separation. 

In general, however, wood 

disposes of properties that are well 

suited for the circular economy. The 

"circularWOOD" project of the 

Lucerne University of Applied 

Sciences and Arts explores the 

conditions for a paradigm shift 

towards a circular economy in timber 

construction. 

PHOTO: COOP VERSCIO TI-PLANUNGSBÜRO BAUTAKT AG

PHOTO: STALLIKON-WERKSTATT GMBH

Swiss Salt works 

Salt works give 

something back 

to nature 

When an area for salt mining is 

exhausted, the Swiss salt works 

return the land to the way they 

found it. In addition, the salt 

works have set up the "Salzgut" 

nature fund. 

Reto Anklin 

The Swiss salt works mine salt on 

brine fields in the Basel region in 

Pratteln and Muttenz and in neighboring 

Aargau in Rheinfelden and 

Möhlin. They drill into the rock salt 

layer, which lies at a depth of up to 

400 meters, and pump water down 

to dissolve the salt. The resulting 

brine is pumped back up and 

evaporated in the salt works. The 

result is the granular salt that ends 

up in the salt shakers on consumers' 

tables or on the roads in winter. 

Once a brine field is exhausted 

after a few years or decades, it is 

renaturalized. "Our mission is to 

restore the 'status quo ante.' That is, 

just as the salt works took the land, 

the salt works will give the land 

back," says Carlo Habich, delegate 

for brine extraction and sustainability, 

at the Swiss Salt Works. 

In the vast majority of cases, he says, 

this is agricultural land. A clause in 

the easement agreement that the 

salt works concludes with all 

landowners before establishing a 

brine field ensures that the drilling 

site is returned to its original 

condition. 

Nature fund "Salzgut" 

In rare cases, when the drilling site 

has gained value for nature and its 

biodiversity due to the activities of 

the salt works, the salt works will 

refrain from a renaturation of a drilling 

site. "However, this only 

happens with the consent of the 

landowner," Habich says. 

So, the options for more extensive 

renaturation are limited. "Nevertheless, 

in order to bring about an 

enhancement of nature through 

leaching activities, the Swiss salt 

works set up the 'Salzgut' nature 

fund two years ago," Habich says. 

The basic idea, he says, is that the 

salt works take away salt and give 

something back to the environment 

at the point of extraction. Specifically, 

this is 1 franc per ton of salt 

mined. 

The projects supported by the 

"Salzgut" nature fund are located in 

the perimeter of salt mining, 

primarily in the mining communities. 

However, «Salzgut» also 

supports projects in the surrounding 

cantonal areas, such as a 

project by the civic community of 

Aesch, which, together with the 

Angenstein forestry district, wants 

to upgrade 15 former stone, clay, and 

clay pits and thus create an entire 

network of new habitats for rare and 

endangered animal species. "With 

an annual production of 400,000 to 

nearly 650,000 tons of salt, depending 

on the winter, there is a nice 

annual amount of money in the 

nature fund that is available for 

conservation projects," Habich says. 

Twice a year, projects would be 

submitted and evaluated by a 

professional council of experts. 

Aftercare concepts 

Restoring the original condition at 

the surface is not enough. The 

aftercare concept of the Swiss salt 

works provides for caverns and 

boreholes to be controlled and 

monitored for many years after the 

brine extraction phase. At the 

moment, comprehensive investigations 

are being carried out in the 

former "Sulz" brine field in Muttenz 

using the latest measuring methods. 

The measurements are helping the 

Swiss saltworks to update and clean 

up the existing data and to gain an 

even better understanding of the 

geology in the extraction areas. 

www.salz.ch 


PHOTO: ZVG 

PHOTO: ZVG 


Baselland the land of discovery 

Sustainable traveling 

in the land of 

discovery 

Baselland is a land of discovery. 

Hardly any other region 

offers so many highlights to 

discover off the beaten track. 

And the small and large bijous 

can be discovered without 

hectic and in a more environmentally 

friendly way. 

Michael Kumli 

Whether it's transportation with the 

free use of public transport throughout 

the region or on a varied e-bike 

tour across "Bärg und Täli" - Baselland 

Tourism and the regional service 

providers are developing offers so that 

guests can enjoy their experiences 

with the smallest possible ecological 

footprint. Today, as well as tomorrow. 

Enjoying and understanding 

nature 

Why is a meadow a meadow? What 

is the difference between a meadow 

and a pasture? Anyone taking the 

two Basel-Land meadow tours 

Arboldswil-Titterten and Dittingen- 

Laufen under their feet will be 

confronted with these questions at 

the various information posts - and 

will, of course, also receive the 

answers. In addition to raising 

awareness of nature, the two hiking 

tours enchant with wonderful 

landscapes and fine regional products, 

which can be enjoyed along 

the way at farms, village stores or 

excursion restaurants. What could 


e better than enjoying a fine 

"Plättli" with products that come 

directly from the farm next door? 

An absolute highlight is the "Knabber-Kiste", 

which can always be 

ordered in advance. 

"Experience" Basel-Land in an 

environmentally friendly way 

The e-bike is an excellent way to 

"experience" the landscape of Baselbiet 

in a relaxed and environmentally 

friendly way. Because this landscape 

of "Bärg und Täli" (mountain-valley 

landscape) is made for it. On the 

varied themed tours in the e-bike 

country of northwestern Switzerland, 

e-bikers discover surprising things, 

immerse themselves in past times 

and combine culture with sport. 

A sophisticated network of charging 

stations is available to ensure that no 

battery runs out before reaching its 

destination. The charging stations 

supply the battery with energy free of 

charge, in all weather conditions and 

without a separate charging cable. 

The charging stations are always 

located in the immediate vicinity of a 

restaurant or cultural institution. So, 

the refueling stop also becomes a 

pleasure stop. 

Sustainable Baselland tips: 

Committed to the Swisstainable program 

Baselland Tourism actively participates 

in the sustainability program 

Swisstainable of the Swiss Tourism. 

On the one hand, the tourism 

organization wants to make an 

active contribution to a more 

sustainable tourism itself and, on 

the other hand, pursues the goal of 

continuously winning over further 

businesses from the Basel area for 

the sustainability program Swisstainable. 

Further information and 

experiences at: www.entdeckerland.ch 


Waldenburger tramway 

The "Waldeburgerli 

returns" 

The Waldenburger tramway will 

resume service on December 

11, 2022 as BLT streetcar line 19. 

The retread of the railroad 

focuses on sustainability in all 

areas. 

Reto Anklin 

On December 11, the trains of the 

new Waldenburg Railway (WB) will 

resume scheduled service. The color 

change marks the beginning of a 

new railroad era in the Waldenburg 

Valley after a construction period 

lasting more than a year, during 

which no gravel stone was left 

unturned. Sustainability plays a 

major role in this. 

The digital train control and 

command system CBTC contributes 

to this. The abbreviation stands for 

"communication-based train control". 

The most striking feature of the 

new technology is that there are no 

longer any signals along the track. A 

display in the driver's cab shows the 

leading crew all the necessary 

information and signal commands. 

This reduces maintenance costs, as 

there are no longer any signals to 

maintain along the rail line. CBTC 

also offers other advantages: Trains 


un smoothly and gently. This 

reduces electricity consumption and 

protects the tracks and wheels from 

excessive wear caused by braking or 

accelerating too hard. 

Higher energy efficiency 

The new Tramlink-vehicles made by 

Swiss manufacturer Stadler-Rail, 

which run on a wider track than 

before, are also equipped with 

sustainable technology. When the 

vehicles brake, the resulting braking 

energy is fed back into the catenary 

system and can be used again when 

starting up. This is made possible by 

a modern high-performance storage 

system, a supercapacitor, at the WB 

site in Bachmatten. 

The new train station and operations 

building in Waldenburg are also 

environmentally friendly and 

conserve resources. The pellet heating 

system there ensures a pleasant room 

temperature in the cold season and 

the solar system on the roof provides 

hot water. In addition, photovoltaic 

systems on the station roof and on 

the roofs of the technical cabins along 

the line produce electricity. With the 

PV system at Waldenburg station, BLT 

can cover between 50 and 70 percent 

of the station facility's electricity 

needs, and around half of the 

electricity needs of the technical 

cabins. 

Dimmed lighting 

Passengers using the Waldenburg 

streetcar at night will notice the 

sustainable operating concept with 

its demand-responsive lighting: if 

there are no people on the platform, 

the lamps only shine at five 

percent of their luminosity. As 

soon as a person or the train 

approaches the platform, motion 

sensors ensure that the lighting 

becomes brighter. If the person and 

the train move away, the lighting is 

automatically dimmed back to the 

minimum. Demand-responsive 

lighting not only saves energy but 

also reduces light pollution. 

Nocturnal insects and butterflies 

benefit from this. 

BLT has also found a sustainable 

solution for the retired trains of the 

Waldenburgerbahn. The seven "BDe 

4/4" railcars and the ten "Bt Schindler" 

control cars have not ended up in 

the scrap yard but continue to 

transport passengers in Slovakia. 

The railroad company 

Čiernohronská železnica from 

Čierny Balog acquired the old WB 

rolling stock. This was transported to 

Slovakia in April last year, including 

spare parts. 

www.blt.ch/wb 

PHOTO: BLT ARCHIV 


gv.ch

Imprint 

Baselland Business 

Business Guide 

Basel-Landschaft Region 

Special «Sustainability 

November 2022 

Circulation: 22 500 copies 

(German and English) 

Publisher 

Baselland Economic Chamber 

Baselland Business 

House of Business 

Hardstrasse 1 

CH-4133 Pratteln 

Tel. 061 927 64 64 

info@kmu.org 

Overall concept 


Director of the Baselland Economic Chamber 

Daniel Schaub, 

Project and editorial management 

Editors 

Daniel Schaub (Management) 

Patrick Herr, 

Loris Vernarelli, 

Delia Pfirter, 

Reto Anklin 

Graphic concept, 

Layout and prepress 

Marco Pendt 

Proofreadimg 

Birgit Althaler 

Translations 

Robert Conrad 

Printing 

Birkhäuser+GBC AG, Reinach BL 

www.birki.ch 

Advertisements and Paid Content 

IWF AG, 4133 Pratteln 

inserate@iwf.ch 

The use of textual and 

illustrative content of this 

magazine requires the express 

permission of the publisher. 

© Baselland Economic Chamber, 2022 

The publication of this magazine in 

German and English is supported by 

supported by Baselland Location Promotion. 

www.economy-bl.ch 


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Wir sind eine sichere Bank – und nachhaltig dazu: 

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