Energy supply in focus: expansion, decarbonization and cyber security

The canton of Zurich aspires to be a leading location for innovation and AI. "However, this can only be achieved with a stable energy supply," said Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office of Economic Affairs, at the start of the sixth edition of "Industry in Dialogue". He referred to the local ecosystem with universities, institutions such as EMPA and Elektrizitätswerke Zürich (EKZ) as well as innovative start-ups and established companies in the energy sector. This is already promoting alternative energy sources and enabling new storage technologies.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution

The demand for energy is growing rapidly and at the same time it is to be increasingly covered by renewable energy sources. Rüdiger-Albert Eichel outlined possible solutions to these challenges. The Director of the Institute of Energy and Climate Research at Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany made it clear that a wide variety of approaches must be combined in order to achieve the energy transition: "Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for a sustainable energy supply."

Eichel introduced the audience to three concepts: the all-electric, the hydrogen-based and the carbon cycle model. "All three are needed for the energy transition, but in the right area," emphasized Eichel. The energy expert sees great potential above all in indirect electrification through power-to-X processes, in which electricity is converted into hydrogen, for example. Negative-emission technologies that remove carbon from the atmosphere are also key. "_CO2-neutral solutions are not enough," Eichel is convinced.

Individual storage solutions are in demand

In order to meet the growing demand for energy, it is important to ensure both the necessary capacity and the required flexibility. To achieve this, storage technologies in particular must be further developed. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here either: "Different applications require different batteries. For example, a car has completely different requirements than a truck," said Paul Baade, CEO of the Zurich-based start-up 8inks, which develops production technologies for customizing batteries.

The CEO of the ETH spin-off gave the audience an insight into the development work: "We optimize the properties of the electrodes so that they are optimized for their intended use," explained Baade. The aim is to reduce the cost of batteries and increase their performance.

High dependency on infrastructure

Energy demand is growing rapidly. This is particularly true for the greater Zurich area: "Population growth is our biggest challenge. The infrastructure must grow with it," said Michael Baumer, City Councillor and Head of the Department of Industrial Operations of the City of Zurich in his speech. However, expansion alone is not enough: "We must also drive forward the renewal of infrastructure and decarbonization at the same time."

In addition to the challenges of sustainable energy production and storage, there is also the growing dependence on infrastructure. For the economic engine to run smoothly, its proper functioning must be ensured. And today, cyber specialists are increasingly responsible for this. This is because system failures are increasingly being caused by cyberattacks rather than technical defects. "Protection against cyber threats ensures uninterrupted production, which is essential for every company," explained Patrik Meli, Managing Director of MAN Energy Solutions Switzerland. He emphasized how important it is that the expansion of renewable energies and modern infrastructure goes hand in hand with a robust cyber security concept.

Cybersecurity as a success factor

Manuel Suter's presentation made it clear that cyber threats have long since become part of everyday life. "In view of the serious threat situation, we must above all make the energy transition secure and resilient," emphasized the Deputy Director of the Federal Office for Cybersecurity (BACS). Suter sees ransomware attacks as one of the biggest threats to companies and operators of critical infrastructures. Sensitive data is encrypted in order to blackmail organizations.

Even if the BACS is constantly expanding its resources, the state cannot guarantee security in cyberspace on its own. A secure energy supply is not possible without the help of industry, as Manuel Suter emphasized. All too often, however, cost considerations get in the way: "Cybersecurity must not just be seen as a cost factor. These investments make our business location secure and therefore internationally attractive."

Overcoming challenges together

In order to achieve the energy transition, all players in the Zurich business location need to work together. This requires a strategic alliance between politics, research and business. That was the consensus in the concluding panel discussion.

The "Industry in Dialogue" event is organized by the Office of Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich's Department of Economic Affairs in cooperation with MAN Energy Solutions Switzerland. It has been held once a year since 2018 in the MAN production halls in Zurich-West. The main program consisted of presentations from the fields of industry, research and politics. Afterwards, around 100 guests had the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other.