Environmental impact with our partners

We are always looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact from the inside out and beyond our operations. Between 2015 and 2022, CSEM achieved significant progress, cutting each full-time employee’s carbon dioxide footprint by 26.5% in total. However, there is still more we can do. We remain committed to continuous improvement in our environmental and sustainable performance and will continue to invest in sustainable practices, technologies, and solutions that can help humanity face the challenges of our times. With our partners and clients, we are working to reduce environmental impact across various sectors.

CSEM applies edge computing and predictive solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of industrial processes. Edge computing means processing data at the source rather than sending it to a remote data center. This reduces the latency, bandwidth, and energy consumption of data transmission, as well as demand for large-scale, energy-hungry data centers that produce greenhouse gases. Predictive solutions use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to optimize industrial processes such as production, maintenance, and quality control. This improves efficiency, reduces waste, and lowers emissions.

Our ultra-low-power technologies are designed to minimize energy consumption, thereby reducing the environmental impact of electronic devices. Ultra-low-power means that our devices can operate with tiny batteries or harvest energy from their surroundings. This reduces the need for frequent battery replacement or recharging, which saves resources and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Our solutions are also optimized for performance and functionality, using advanced microelectronics, sensors, and wireless communication. By enabling smart and connected applications, such as IoT, wearables, and biomedical devices, we can improve the quality of life and health of people, while helping to preserve the environment.

Solar energy is a key renewable energy source that helps fight climate change. Solar photovoltaic technology has become more efficient and affordable in recent years, making it a viable and scalable energy option in many countries. We partner with leaders like Meyer Burger, 3S Swiss Solar Solutions, Freesuns, and Tissot, who excel in making solar cells and modules, integrating photovoltaics into buildings, creating solar tiles and applying PV to other areas such as watches. Together, we create innovative solutions that blend performance, aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability. Examples include high-efficiency solar modules, colored solar roofs, and watches powered by solar energy. These solutions can produce clean energy, conserve resources, and reduce emissions, while adding value and appeal to buildings and products.

With its European and Swiss partners, CSEM is developing technology for eco-friendly agriculture and forestry. Insolagrin, inSOLIGHT’s agrivoltaic solution, uses transparent solar modules and optical layers co-developed with CSEM to control light, enhance plant and water efficiency, and produce clean electricity. CSEM and Voltiris are also working on new PV technologies for greenhouses, using transparent solar modules and optimal solar energy collection for green and profitable outcomes. AGRARSENSE is an EU project aiming to develop innovative technologies for agriculture and forestry, as well as water monitoring with the help of CSEM’s expertise in microelectronics, photonics, and electronic packaging. These technologies will enable smart and sustainable management of resources and ecosystems.

CSEM offers smart energy grid solutions, leveraging its know-how in solar photovoltaics, data science and machine learning, building energy management, and secure IoT systems. We have delivered successful outcomes for various research and industrial projects, such as a machine learning solution for precise photovoltaic power production forecasting. Moreover, our partnership with Proxima Solutions (now part of DNV) has led to AI algorithms for predictive maintenance of wind turbines. These innovations boost the reliability, efficiency, and sustainability of renewable energy sources, while reducing operational costs and environmental impact.

Through its Battery Innovation Hub, CSEM collaborates with industry partners such as Blue Solutions to improve the efficiency, safety, and lifespan of solid-state lithium batteries. These have a lower environmental impact than conventional batteries, as they consume fewer resources and emit less greenhouse gases. We also create intelligent battery management systems and storage that use sensors and algorithms to optimize the performance and lifespan of battery packs. By innovating in the battery domain, CSEM contributes to reducing the environmental footprint of various applications, from electric vehicles to smart grids.

Our goal is to make vehicles more eco-friendly by integrating photovoltaic systems into them. These systems use solar modules that are lightweight, flexible, and durable. They can fit different shapes and surfaces of the vehicle body, such as the roof, hood, or doors. They generate electricity from sunlight, which can be used to power auxiliary systems such as air conditioning, lighting, or refrigeration. They can also support the main propulsion system, reducing the need for fuel. We have partnered with Simoldès and Swissairtainer, who are experts in vehicle parts manufacturing and temperature-controlled pharma airfreight solutions, respectively. With them we have integrated PV into the car’s bodywork, using lightweight and flexible solar cells, and have helped develop smart containers that can regulate the temperature and humidity of pharmaceutical products during air transport.

We develop solutions to ensure the safety and sustainability of water resources, such as water monitoring, disposable sensors, cell-based microsystems, and self-calibrating devices. We use these solutions to measure various parameters of water quality, such as pH, ions, heavy metals, bacteria, and toxins. We also apply artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze the data and provide insights for better water management. CSEM has equipped the City of Lausanne’s video sewer robots with sensors and algorithms to save resources on human intervention and streamline inspection, enabling the automatic detection of damage to pipes.

We are improving weather forecasting and monitoring water flow with Meteosat and Precidata in order to mitigate the environmental impact of disasters. Meteosat satellites are essential to weather forecasting accuracy, as they provide imagery for the early detection of fast-developing severe weather, such as storms or heavy fog. With Precidata we have developed a solution to measure water flow and precipitation with radar sensors, providing high-resolution and real-time data for hydrological modelling and flood risk assessment. These technologies enable us to reduce the risks and damage caused by natural disasters and enhance community resilience.