Adèle Thorens: A Political Vision in Service of the Ecological Transition
CleantechAlps is celebrating 15 years of commitment to sustainable innovation and cleantech in Western Switzerland. To celebrate 15 years of commitment to sustainable innovation, CleantechAlps is launching the“15 Years – 15 Faces” initiative, spotlighting inspiring individuals who actively contribute to the development of Switzerland’s cleantech ecosystem.. Among these committed figures, Adèle Thorens—former National Councillor and member of the Council of States for the Green Party—perfectly embodies the connection between political vision and ecological transition that CleantechAlps seeks to promote.
“Switzerland is probably the only country in the world where a national public debate was held about the circular economy, during the 2016 vote on the Green Economy Initiative,” explains Adèle Thorens at the outset. “Even though the initiative was not accepted, the process laid the groundwork for collective awareness that ultimately bore fruit.”
Parliamentary efforts resumed afterward, and a revision of the Environmental Protection Act—including measures to support the circular economy—has just entered into force. “That’s how an idea can gradually make its way into the Swiss legislative landscape, and that’s encouraging.”
Education: a pillar of the ecological transition
Now a professor at HEIG-VD, Adèle Thorens highlights the crucial role of universities of applied sciences in training the changemakers of tomorrow. “Education plays a central role in the ecological transition, and HEIG-VD is particularly well positioned—since it trains tomorrow’s engineers and business economists who will develop more sustainable technological solutions and economic models.”
Her involvement in academia aligns with a vision in which technology and economics must converge to serve sustainability goals—a fundamental principle also shared by CleantechAlps in its innovation approach.
A necessary alliance between economy and politics
To accelerate the ecological transition, the former parliamentarian advocates a combined approach. “Economy and politics must work hand in hand. The economy develops solutions, but sometimes they struggle to gain traction in the market. The State must then adjust the framework conditions to support them—through technical requirements or by internalizing the environmental costs of polluting products.”
This balanced vision—recognizing the complementary roles of public and private actors—echoes CleantechAlps’ mission to build bridges between innovators, companies, and institutions.
Concrete initiatives for the future
Among her recent parliamentary accomplishments, Adèle Thorens proudly mentions two topics she helped bring onto the national political agenda: V2X technology, which enables the use of electric vehicle batteries to help stabilize the power grid, and C02 capture and storage methods, “which, unfortunately, we will need—because we’ve waited too long to reduce our emissions.”
Thinking outside the box—and considering the societal dimension
To young people who want to get involved in cleantech, Adèle Thorens offers a thoughtful message: “I would encourage them to dare to think outside the box, and to consider both the technological and societal dimensions of environmental challenges. We can develop all the technical solutions we want, but if consumers or the economy can’t—or won’t—embrace them, we won’t get very far, ” she concludes.
Adèle Thorens’ favorite quote
« We are always in paradise and don’t know it. »
– Pascal Quignard
This quote by the French writer deeply resonates with Adèle Thorens, who finds it both counterintuitive and revealing. In a world confronted with destructive forces—especially environmental ones—this reflection calls for a paradoxical lucidity: focusing on the beauty of our surroundings to better preserve them.
“I strive, despite all the bad news, to see the beauty around me, to look toward the light,” confides the former Council of States member. This personal philosophy—combining ecological awareness with a hopeful view of the world—is a vital source of energy for Adèle Thorens: “It’s what keeps me going.”
A politician who left a mark
Adèle Thorens served as a National Councillor from 2007 to 2019, then as a Council of States member until 2023. She holds a Master’s degree in the Humanities and a Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Environmental and Sustainability Policy. From 2012 to 2016, she co-chaired the Swiss Green Party. Her political work focused heavily on green economy, circular economy, and energy transition issues. Professor at HEIG-VD, Adèle Thorens is also active on several boards of directors, including that of Alpiq.
The 15-year anniversary concept
For the past 15 years, CleantechAlps has been committed to advancing its vision and connecting talents, stakeholders and solutions that drive the transition toward a more sustainable future in Western Switzerland. To mark this anniversary, we wish to highlight the individuals who bring our ecosystem to life every day — through their projects, their dedication and their vision.
“15 Years – 15 Faces” features fifteen personalities, fifteen journeys, fifteen voices that embody cleantech. From technology to policy, from research to industry, from local to international — these women and men are building, each in their own way, the cleantech solutions of today and tomorrow. Through their stories, we share with you the successes to which CleantechAlps has contributed — notably by serving as a facilitator of connections, dialogue, and collaboration. Discover their passion. Their inspiration. And their vision for a more sustainable future.
