Röthlisberger Roger

Full Professor at the School of Engineering and Management of the Canton of Vaud, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO), where he serves as Head of the Energy and Environmental Techniques department. His research focuses on sustainable energy systems with particular expertise in biomass utilization, combustion technologies, and emissions control for decentralized energy production.

Roger Röthlisberger's research spans multiple areas of sustainable energy engineering with a strong emphasis on practical applications:

• Combustion thermochemistry and emissions control for wood-based energy systems
• Biogas production optimization through pretreatment, co-digestion, and CO₂ enrichment
• Development of measurement and monitoring technologies for biomass energy content
• Integration of photosynthetic biofilm filters for aquaculture wastewater treatment
• Wood energy systems including stoves, boilers, and biomass processing

His publication record over the past 25 years demonstrates a consistent focus on sustainable energy technologies, with recent work emphasizing practical solutions for biomass utilization. His research has evolved from fundamental combustion studies of natural gas engines to applied research on wood energy systems and biogas production. A notable trend is his increasing focus on circular economy approaches, such as integrating microalgae cultivation with aquaculture wastewater treatment and developing technologies for continuous measurement of wood chip energy content to improve billing accuracy. His work consistently bridges the gap between theoretical understanding and practical implementation.

Professor Röthlisberger has secured significant research funding from multiple competitive sources including:

• Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SEFRI)
• Swiss Federal Office of Energy (OFEN)
• Swiss Innovation Agency (Innosuisse)
• Canton of Vaud research funds
• Industry partnerships with energy technology companies

As Principal Investigator, Professor Röthlisberger has managed over 15 research projects since 2013 with total funding exceeding 2.5 million CHF. His current research portfolio includes four active projects totaling over 470,000 CHF, focusing on biomass collection automation, biogas enhancement, wood stove emissions treatment, and wood chip energy measurement. He regularly collaborates with academic partners in Tunisia and industry partners across Switzerland, demonstrating strong international research connections. His work on the MENA-II project with Tunisian partners highlights his commitment to international knowledge transfer in sustainable energy technologies.

Professor Röthlisberger leads the Energy Institute (IE) research group at HEIG-VD, which maintains specialized laboratories for combustion analysis, biomass characterization, and energy system testing. His team works closely with the Institute of Thermal Engineering (IGT) and collaborates with multiple industry partners including Chemitube SA, TTL France, Oekosolve AG, and Energie Service Sàrl on practical implementation of research findings. The group's work spans from fundamental research to pre-industrial development, with several projects reaching pilot-scale implementation.