Vanessa Burg

Function

scientific staff member

Forest Resources and Management

Sustainable Forestry

Contact

vanessa.burg(at)wslto make life hard for spam bots.ch

+41 44 739 23 76+41 44 739 23 76

Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Zürcherstrasse 111
8903 Birmensdorf

Site

Birmensdorf Bi GL A 01

Research interests

Integrated and strategic management of natural resources; sustainable provision of bioenergy; circular economy; energy-land-food nexus; motivations and barriers to the adoption of pro-environmental practices; spatial data analysis and modelling.

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Vanessa_Burg.
Google scholar: https://scholar.google.ch/citations?user=IaakgJ8AAAAJ&hl=en.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

Bioenergy and circular economy: the biogas plant as a hub

In this transdisciplinary study, the bioenergy system is assessed from the perspective of the circular economy. The focus is on wet biomass, whereby the current cycle of the most important elements is investigated qualitatively and quantitatively. The anaerobic digestion serves as the central hub.

Strategies and concepts for tapping the sustainable, energetic potential of manure in Switzerland

The project "NETZ" develops strategies and concepts for tapping the sustainable, energetic potential of substrates of agricultural origin, in particular farmyard manure in Switzerland.

Biomass transport for energy in Switzerland

The aim of this project is to explore the transport chains of biomass for energy in Switzerland and assess their economic and ecological impacts. Costs, energy inputs, and CO2 balances are calculated for the major paths travelled by forest wood and manure.

Power Density Switzerland

"Power Density" describes the relationship between energy carrier, area and time. Renewable energies and particularly biomass require much larger area to produce energy compared to fossil fuels. This study helps identify where and to what extent which type of bioenergy could be used.

Biomass potentials Switzerland

SCCER-BIOSWEET aims to increase the energetic use of biomass in Switzerland. WSL determines resource potentials, examines availabilities and future developments of different biomass categories.

Publications WSL

Scientific publication article peer reviewed

Lemm, R.; Haymoz, R.; Björnsen Gurung, A.; Burg, V.; Strebel, T.; Thees, O., 2020: Replacing fossil fuels and nuclear power with renewable energy: utopia or valid option? A Swiss case study of bioenergy. Energies, 13, 8: 2051 (20 pp.). doi: 10.3390/en13082051

Burg, V.; Bowman, G.; Hellweg, S.; Thees, O., 2019: Long-term wet bioenergy resources in Switzerland: drivers and projections until 2050. Energies, 12, 18: 3585 (21 pp.). doi: 10.3390/en12183585

Mohr, L.; Burg, V.; Thees, O.; Trutnevyte, E., 2019: Spatial hot spots and clusters of bioenergy combined with socio-economic analysis in Switzerland. Renewable Energy, 140: 840-851. doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.03.093

Vadenbo, C.; Tonini, D.; Burg, V.; Fruergaard Astrup, T.; Thees, O.; Hellweg, S., 2018: Environmental optimization of biomass use for energy under alternative future energy scenarios for Switzerland. Biomass and Bioenergy, 119: 462-472. doi: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2018.10.001

Burg, V.; Bowman, G.; Haubensak, M.; Baier, U.; Thees, O., 2018: Valorization of an untapped resource: energy and greenhouse gas emissions benefits of converting manure to biogas through anaerobic digestion. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 136: 53-62. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.04.004

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Further scientific publications

Schnorf, V.; Trutnevyte, E.; Bowman, G.; Burg, V., 2020: Biomass transport for energy. Analysing costs, energy and CO₂ emissions of the main forest wood and manure transport chains in Switzerland.

Erni, M.; Burg, V.; Lemm, R.; Stadelmann, G.; Schweier, J.; Zenner, E.; Thees, O., 2019: How can forest wood contribute to the energy transition in Switzerland?: A regional analysis.

Burg, V.; Bowman, G.; Thees, O., 2019: optimierBAR: Mist und wieso er zur Sprache kommen muss. Hofdünger-Vergärung in der Schweiz: Energetisches Potenzial, reduzierte Treibhausgasemissionen und Grundeinstellung der Landwirte. In: Björnsen Gurung, A. (eds), 2019: Schweiz erneuerbar!. Forum für Wissen 2019: Schweiz erneuerbar!, Birmensdorf, Switzerland. 23-30.

Burg, V.; Golzar, F.; Bowman, G.; Hellweg, S.; Roshandel, R., 2019: Symbiosis opportunities between food and energy system: manure based biogas as heat source for greenhouses.

Burg, V.; Bowman, G.; Mohr, L.; Trutnevyte, E.; Thees, O., 2019: Bioenergy hotspots combined with socio-economic analysis: an important step to support the future energy transition.

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Magazine article and brochures

Biosketch

I am an environmental engineer with more than 10 years experience in the field of natural resources management and energy. Since 2014, I have been a researcher at WSL, also bringing experience from the private sector and international organizations.

Currently, my focus lies on sustainable bio-resources management in the context of the energy transition. I use transdisciplinary research approaches integrating different methods, such as geographic information system, agent-based modeling, and surveys for quantitative as well as qualitative analysis.