immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Energie360

  • Energie 360° and EKZ hold takeover talks

    Energie 360° and EKZ hold takeover talks

    The City of Zurich announced back in 2024 that it was looking for new partnerships for Energie 360°. After withdrawing from the municipal heat supply, the company is increasingly focusing on projects outside the city area. In order to secure its long-term future, the city conducted market research with external support and spoke to several interested parties.

    It is now clear that Zurich and EKZ are conducting exclusive negotiations regarding a possible takeover. According to the press release, the talks are intended to clarify whether the merger of the two energy companies can create added value for the canton and the city.

    Synergies for the canton’s energy future
    EKZ has extensive experience in the construction and operation of complex energy infrastructures and already supplies 100 percent renewable energy in the electricity sector. A merger with Energie 360° would enable the canton of Zurich to manage large parts of its energy supply from a single source in future.

    For Energie 360°, integration into EKZ would mean the consistent continuation of its transformation. Away from fossil gas and towards renewable energy networks, biogas and charging infrastructure for electromobility. This would see the canton of Zurich take a significant step towards net zero in a national comparison.

    Observers see this bundling as an opportunity to better coordinate regional energy production, grid infrastructure and security of supply. At the same time, the planned takeover offers the opportunity to deploy resources and expertise more efficiently in an increasingly fragmented market.

    Decision expected by the end of 2026
    Two bodies will decide whether the merger actually goes ahead. The municipal council on the city side and the Board of Directors on the EKZ side. The negotiations should be completed by the end of 2026.

    The sale would be a significant strategic step for Zurich. It would involve the disposal of an important energy company, but also the opportunity to unite behind the goal of decarbonization in the canton. If the takeover is successful, an energy player would emerge in the Zurich area that consistently relies on renewable sources for electricity, heat and mobility, thus setting the course for a climate-neutral future.

  • Energie 360° wants to store summer electricity underground with methane

    Energie 360° wants to store summer electricity underground with methane

    In a new study, the energy service provider Energie 360° has highlighted geo-methanisation as a way to store surplus electricity in summer for use when there is a shortage of electricity in winter. According to a media release, the study, conducted together with the energy storage company RAG Austria AG in Vienna, focuses on the economic use of this method.

    In geo-methanisation, surplus renewable energy, such as solar power, is converted into hydrogen (H2) in summer. This is injected into a natural underground reservoir together with CO2, which comes from biogas plants, for example. At a depth of more than 1000 metres, microorganisms combine hydrogen and carbon to form methane gas (CH4). In winter, when the demand for electricity and heat is high, the renewable gas can be stored and used in a variety of ways, according to the technical explanation in the press release.

    The University of Bern, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (Empa) and the OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland) collaborated on the Underground Sun Conversion – Flexible Storage (USC-FlexStore) research project by Energie 360° and RAG Austria. The joint study shows that implementation is possible and economically interesting if existing gas storage facilities are used. These exist in Switzerland’s neighbouring countries, such as Pilsbach in Austria.

    “The potential is enormous: annually, renewable energy of several terawatt hours can be stored seasonally with this method. This will substantially alleviate the winter electricity shortfall in Switzerland,” Jörg Wild, CEO of Energie 360°, is quoted as saying. The prerequisite is that Switzerland concludes binding regulations with its neighbouring countries for the purchase of renewable gases.

  • Energie 360 ° is working on a power-to-gas solution

    Energie 360 ° is working on a power-to-gas solution

    Energie 360 ° and the gas storage company RAG Austria are working on making solar energy available all year round. Both are jointly pursuing the innovative power-to-gas project Underground Sun Conversion – Flexible Storage . It started in December 2020 has a term of two and a half years and is supported by the European Commission promoted . Field tests are already underway at the RAG research site in Pilsbach, Upper Austria.

    In this project, excess renewable energy, such as solar power in summer, is converted into hydrogen, explains Energie 360 ° in a press release . This is then stored together with carbon dioxide in natural underground storage at a depth of over 1000 meters. There, microorganisms combine hydrogen and carbon to form renewable methane gas. This energy can be used in the event of supply gaps, for example in winter. The advantage over pumped storage power plants or batteries lies in the much higher storage capacity and, at the same time, less surface area, according to Energie 360 °.

    In Switzerland, the two companies cooperate with the University of Bern , the University of Applied Sciences in Eastern Switzerland and the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ). "We are working together on the solution to one of the greatest challenges facing the energy system of the future: How do we advance volatile renewable energy sources such as sun and wind and at the same time offer year-round security of supply?", Says Andreas Kunz, Head of Energy Systems at Energie 360 °.

  • Coop and Energie 360 ° are building charging stations in shopping centers

    Coop and Energie 360 ° are building charging stations in shopping centers

    According to a press release , Energie 360 ° will start construction work at the first Coop locations this autumn. The charging stations are built both at Coop sales outlets and in shopping centers. The Zurich-based energy and mobility service provider plans to equip 20 of the around 100 planned Coop locations by the end of the year. The other charging stations will follow by mid-2023.

    Martin Kessler, Head of Mobility at Energie 360 °, is quoted in the communication: “Our goal is to make electromobility easily and widely available. No region in Switzerland should have to wait longer than the other. ”This means that in the implementation of the joint Energie 360 ° and Coop project, all regions – from Basel to Ticino and from Geneva to St.Gallen – will be right from the start should be taken into account equally.

    Salome Hofer, Head of Sustainability / Economic Policy at Coop: “With the electric charging stations, we want to meet the needs of our customers for charging options at our sales outlets and at the same time promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”

    The construction of the charging stations, which is now starting, was preceded by a two-year pilot phase. Then Coop decided to work with Energie 360 ° and its subsidiary swisscharge.ch .

    The charging current offered at the stations – 22 kilowatts of alternating current – comes mainly from ecological production, emphasizes Energie 360 °. Depending on the charging strength of the electric car, it charges energy for up to 150 kilometers in one hour. The electricity price is the same at all Coop charging stations. The charging stations are integrated into the swisscharge.ch network, which includes over 48,000 charging options across Europe.

  • WIPO Limmattal will not take place again until 2021

    WIPO Limmattal will not take place again until 2021

    The Organizing Committee (OC) of the Limmattal Economic Podium has decided to cancel the next event planned for November 2020, according to a media release. The reasons are the "uncertain development of the coronavirus pandemic, the lack of planning security and concern for the health of the participants". The decision was made together with the main sponsors AXA , UBS Switzerland AG , energie360 ° , maneth stiefel AG and the Umwelt Arena Schweiz .

    “We ran through all the scenarios. The decision was anything but easy for us, "OC President Fredi Pahr is quoted in the message. In it, WIPO also informs that the organizers had consulted with the sponsors and partners and that the majority of those questioned were in favor of rejection. “WIPO lives from networking – keeping your distance is difficult. We very much regret the cancellation, but the health of our participants has top priority, ”says Pahr.

    The next WIPO event will therefore take place in November 2021. The exact date should be set in the coming days. The program planned for 2020 and with it the topic of "Limitless" will remain topical in the coming year. “We hope that we can win Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin again for the keynote. The clarifications are in progress ”, informs the WIPO, which was founded and is being carried out by the three patronage associations IHV Industrie- und Handelsverein Dietikon , Schlieren Chamber of Commerce ( WKS ) and the Association for Industry, Services and Trade Spreitenbach ( IDH ).