The energy transition was the focus of the fifth edition of “Industry in Dialogue”. Speakers from the worlds of business, politics and research agreed that accelerating change requires everyone – and many – to lead by example.
Patrik Meli, Managing Director of MAN Energy Solutions, described the energy transition as a "generational project". Meli, who hosted the event, emphasized the importance of sustainable solutions. This requires innovation and pioneering work. "MAN Energy Solutions is ready to lead the way as a role model." His company is already working on solutions for the age of climate neutrality.
In her welcome address, Carmen Walker Späh, Director of Economic Affairs, expressed her optimism that such an era can dawn. "However, we will have to make major investments for this," said the Government Councillor. This only works without bans and regulations. "Otherwise the opposite happens."
Walker Späh is aware that the cantonal target of "net zero by 2040" is ambitious - but still achievable. What's more, the canton of Zurich as an industrial location could inspire other cantons to move in the same direction. It also has top-level universities that are driving forward research in the field of sustainable technology.
Yasmine Calisesi, Director of the "Energy Center" at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, had her say on research. It is researching what a climate-neutral Switzerland could look like one day. To this end, she and her team have developed the so-called "Energyscope", which Calisesi presented. It calculates future scenarios with regard to energy use - taking into account various socio-ecological and socio-economic conditions.
Calisesi says that the population's energy supply must be guaranteed at all times. At the same time, energy is not available to everyone in the same quantities and at the same prices. "Finding a good balance in such dilemmas will be a major challenge."
At his last official appearance as a retiring member of the Zurich Council of States, Ruedi Noser outlined the political perspective on the issue. After all, they have to "sell" the energy transition to the population - as simply as possible. "However, we often make overly simple calculations in federal Berne, which as an engineer I would put a question mark behind."
One example: Renewable resources also generate additional resources. According to Noser, this is sometimes forgotten. He said quite pragmatically that "existing nuclear power plants will continue to be needed." And CO2 is also a raw material that cannot be ruled out. Instead, it should be purposefully integrated into the overall cycle.
Corine Mauch, another political representative, also spoke. The Mayor of Zurich held her city accountable: the goal of "net zero by 2040" had been set - for the city administration even by 2035. This primarily refers to direct emissions. The indirect costs that are incurred outside the city but are caused by residents of Zurich are also to be reduced - by 30 percent.
Mauch emphasized that the energy transition is indispensable: "You only have to remember the energy crisis last winter." Companies such as BKW Energie AG are needed to avoid bottlenecks. Its CEO Robert Itschner explained that the winter gap is getting bigger and bigger. In order to close them, a healthy mix of all forms of energy is needed.
Wind energy, for example, has great potential. However, there are only around 40 wind turbines in Switzerland. Itschner considers the fact that seven new ones have just been approved to be an important signal from the authorities. He also sees potential in solar energy: photovoltaic systems are becoming increasingly popular. "Permits must therefore be issued quickly. But in such a way that a road does not have to be torn up several times to lay new cables."
The event was closed by development engineer Niklas Denz, a representative from the start-up scene. The ETH graduate presented the start-up company "Unbound Potential", which develops energy storage systems. With the Thalwil health park, they have already acquired their first customer, announced Denz: "The supposedly superfluous thermal energy can now be stored and reused there."
The "Industry in Dialogue" event is organized by the Office of Economy and Labour 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. This year's main program consisted of presentations by seven personalities from the fields of industry, research and politics. Afterwards, around 100 guests had the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other.