The SFOE promotes application-related energy research and ensures the Swiss research workers have access to the research programmes of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the EU (Framework Programmes for Research, Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan)). Financial support is provided in accordance with the "energy research concept of the federal government", which is updated every four years by the Federal Energy Research Commission (CORE) and encompasses scientific research and pilot, demonstration and lighthouse projects.

The SFOE publishes annual statistics on the expenditure of the public authorities on energy research. All of the research projects promoted by the federal government are presented in the ARAMIS internet database.