On 10 and 11 June 2025, the Second Annual Meeting of the Energy Innovation Center (EIZ) The two-day conference took place in Cottbus – a two-day expert meeting featuring high-profile guests, scientific exchange, and practical insights into current energy research. The second day was held as part of the 25th Brandenburg Energy Day at the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg and attracted over 600 participants from science, business, and politics.
Day 1 – Science in Dialogue
The kick-off was the EIZ-internal specialist program in starting block B2, organized by the High Power Grid Converter (HPGC) Lab and Control Systems and Cyber Security (COSYS) LabAfter welcoming remarks by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andriy Panchenko (COSYS Lab), BTU President Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande, and Stefan Müller (Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space), Prof. Alessandra Parisio (University of Manchester) delivered a captivating keynote speech on optimization-based control for grid frequency stabilization.
In several sessions, EIZ researchers presented their latest findings on topics including energy storage, CO₂ catalysis, P2X processes, grid simulations, and cybersecurity. A poster exhibition, lab tours, and a social get-together rounded out the program. A second keynote speech by Dr. Nils Ole Tippenhauer (CISPA) on the topic of IT security in industrial control systems was another highlight.
Day 2 – Expert forum and presence at the Brandenburg Energy Day
On the second day, the EIZ prominently presented itself at the 25th Brandenburg Energy Day with its own booth in the trade exhibition on the BTU's central campus. Visitors were able to learn about ongoing research projects, including a demonstrator from the COSYS Lab. Among the guests at the booth were Daniel Keller, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection of the State of Brandenburg, and BTU President Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande.
A special highlight: The EIZ-organized Expert Forum 4 “Digitalization for the Energy Transition”Moderated by Dr.-Ing. Christine Kühnel (Reiner Lemoine Institute), experts from science, grid operations, and startups discussed the opportunities and challenges of digital technologies for a sustainable energy supply.
Dr. Jakob Pohlisch (EIZ) opened the forum with an introduction to key digital levers of the energy transition. Following this, PD Dr. Thomas Strasser (AIT) presented the European project INT:NET, which emphasizes interoperability as a key to system integration. Ray Dubslaff (50Hertz) provided the perspective of a transmission system operator and demonstrated how digital processes support grid transformation.
Prof. Dr. Tanja Kneiske (TU Berlin / Fraunhofer IEG) examined the contribution of AI to energy infrastructure, ranging from hype to real necessity. Dr. Sabrina Schmitz (SpotmyEnergy) closed the forum with insights from the startup sector, emphasizing the role of data-driven applications for user participation and energy efficiency.
The forum made it clear: Digitalization is an indispensable driver of the energy transition – provided it is designed in a networked, secure, and practical way.
At its second Annual Meeting, the EIZ demonstrated how scientifically sound innovation, practical solutions, and regional networking go hand in hand. Together with over 100 researchers, more than 40 partners, and a broad range of topics—from energy system modeling and storage technologies to IT security—the EIZ is positioning itself as a key player in the energy transition in Lusatia and beyond.
