Questions over new CERN collider climate impact

There are calls for more analysis of what the climate impact could be on the proposed new collider for the particle physics laboratory, CERN.

A feasibility study on the Future Circular Collider is underway, but its estimated energy consumption of 4 terawatt hours is causing heads to turn. 
In context, that’s twice as much as the entire Swiss train network. 

Green Party national counsellor, Delphine Broggini Klopfenstein, says the government needs to look at what that means for the climate. 

CERN confirms the power estimate, but says during the development it will be looking at new technologies to reduce that figure – which could have wider uses elsewhere. CERN says it’s possible the research could lead to a general reduction of power consumption. 

The new collider will mean a new 100km tunnel around canton Geneva and if given the go ahead, won’t be operational until 2060. 

More from Bitesize News

  • Bank details compromised

    British digital bank Revolut has admitted handing customer information to fraudsters who impersonated a European government agency

  • Watch theft victim speaks out

    A luxury watch dealer just across the French border from Geneva has broken his silence about a violent robbery earlier this month

  • Crans Montana hearings due before end of year

    Jessica Moretti, who ran the Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, is now living in near-isolation in the Valais village of Lens more than eight months after the deadly New Year's Eve fire

  • Better news for economy

    Switzerland's economy will grow 1.7% this year — nearly double the 0.9% expansion forecast in June, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said yesterday

  • Geneva budget plan unveiled

    Geneva has now put figures to its austerity plan — a CHF 546 million deficit for 2027, even after CHF 247 million in cuts

  • Summer fires increase

    Firefighters across French-speaking Switzerland tackled far more vegetation fires this summer than in any of the past five years

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play