Composing the energy systems of tomorrow
Modern, decentralized energy systems are a highly complex matter. Planning them optimally and cost-efficiently is a major challenge for energy planners. An Empa spin-off has a solution that helps planners find the appropriate energy concept for a building, a neighborhood or even an entire city, and thus meet their goals in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency.
A sustainable energy system is comparable to a symphony. For the various components to harmonize with each other, it is not enough to simply write a few notes on a piece of paper. Rather, it requires experienced composers who find the ideal composition and the suitable instruments for it, as well as a conductor who ensures that the musicians harmonize perfectly with each other. Only when everything plays together perfectly does a melodious symphony come into being. In the energy system, the role of the composer is played by energy planners. Their task is becoming increasingly complex, however, as new technologies are constantly coming onto the market and requirements - for example, in terms of sustainability and reliability - are constantly changing.
Rethinking energy systems
The increasing complexity is mainly due to the shift from centralized to decentralized energy systems. This change is driven by the shift toward a climate-friendly society. In decentralized energy systems, several buildings are linked together in a neighborhood or area, sharing renewable energies and various conversion and storage technologies. The buildings are not only energy consumers, but also energy producers, both by storing surplus energy, for example from their photovoltaic system, and by feeding it back into the grid. In this way, they themselves become an important part of the system. A key advantage of decentralized energy systems over traditional, centrally organized ones is that energy can be provided where it is consumed. Transport routes are thus minimized, which in turn enables more efficient interaction between the individual energy and storage technologies.
For planners, this means that it is imperative to consider energy systems as a whole and to find the optimal solutions from a large number of technologies and their possible combinations. In addition, the range of available solutions is constantly increasing as a result of innovation. At the same time, energy planners must ensure grid stability and always keep an eye on economic efficiency. Creating a melodious symphony and not simply falling back on common standard pieces that dozens of orchestras have already played thus becomes a highly complex task. One company that has recognized this problem and is providing a remedy is the Empa spin-off "Sympheny". The name was not chosen by chance. The aim of the start-up is to bring the different energy flows of a site into harmony with each other - and thus achieve maximum energy efficiency and sustainability.
A web tool to simplify energy planning
Sympheny offers planners a cloud-based tool that helps them easily and cost-effectively plan the optimal energy system for a building, neighborhood or even a city. "Our platform takes into account a variety of factors, such as the available renewable energies and suppliers at a given location, the different energy needs or the relevant technologies. At the same time, it also incorporates the various goals of the planners, such as reducing CO2-emissions, the expansion of renewable energies or cost reduction," explains CEO Andrew Bollinger. Based on this wide range of information, the online tool helps planners find the optimal energy system for the site. It answers key questions, such as whether and which photovoltaic systems should be installed on the roof or facade, which seasonal storage systems should be installed, or how the thermal networks should be structured. Above all, however, the platform can help energy planners to consider these different questions in the overall context and provide answers that take into account the numerous dependencies and interactions between the technologies and energy flows at a particular site.
Know-how from research, impact on the market
The basis for the software is provided by many years of research. Empa's "Urban Energy Systems Lab" has been researching new methods for optimizing decentralized energy systems for several years. The research eventually resulted in the tool, which has been steadily developed further in collaboration with industry partners. Last year, the team finally decided to take the plunge into the market. Thus, the spin-off "Urban Sympheny AG" was founded in April 2020.
"We see great market potential for our solution, because energy planning is becoming increasingly complex. For energy planners, the time factor also plays a key role. It is therefore important to help them find the optimal solution as quickly as possible. Our powerful algorithms and cloud-based, user-friendly application greatly reduce the complexity for planners. They are thus able to make faster and better planning decisions," says Bollinger. At the same time, the software also promotes the integration of sustainable and renewable energy sources. In this way, the Sympheny team aims to make a valuable contribution to the energy transition.
A piece from practice
Joint projects with industry partners show that the company's tool has enormous potential. One example: together with Empa, Sympheny helped the utility company IBC Energie Wasser Chur to find new energy concepts for neighborhoods in the capital of Graubünden that would enable them to reduce CO2-emissions to net zero by 2040. The team first created a digital model for the city using the start-up's software. To find the optimal solutions, the next step was to use algorithms to evaluate various possible energy concepts and determine their costs and CO2-balance sheet is calculated. With this selection of possible concepts, the utility can now more easily find the solution that will help it achieve its "net zero" goal at minimal cost.
In the detailed analysis, the project team also defined for each solution which measures are necessary for the conversion of the existing energy system. Of particular interest to IBC Energie Wasser Chur is the fact that converting its current energy system into a CO2-free system is possible without increasing lifecycle costs - and this despite the fact that high investments are required for the conversion. In the transformation process, the company also has the opportunity to recalculate the upcoming conversion steps on the basis of the latest data, for example new technologies, and to make any necessary adjustments. This allows the risk for the transformation of the energy system to be significantly reduced.
Sympheny is in the running for the "Top 100 Swiss Startup Award 2021". The award ceremony will take place on September 8, 2021 and the voting runs until July 18 at https://www.startup.ch/Urban
