In common with other industrialised nations, energy research represents an important pillar of energy policy in Switzerland. The public authorities spend some 160 million Swiss francs a year on energy research. The objectives are to create a secure and sustainable energy supply, strengthen Switzerland's position as a marketplace for energy technology and maintain the high quality of Swiss energy research. High priority is attached to international co-operation and the efficient implementation of research findings.

The energy research carried out in the public sector is based on the energy research concept of the federal government, which is updated every four years by the Swiss Federal Energy Research Commission (CORE). The Swiss Federal Office of Energy is responsible for the implementation of this concept.

In the energy sector, innovation cycles from basic research through to introduction of products onto the market often take decades, and in view of this, co-operation between the public sector with its longer-term orientation, and the private sector with its shorter-term horizons, is essential.

Through the greater use of resources by universities and increased contributions from the private sector, efforts are being made to strengthen energy research in Switzerland. And in order to translate findings into practice, broad-based marketing activities by SwissEnergy are to be supported and accelerated.

Federal government energy research concept

The federal government energy research concept is a planning tool for the relevant federal decision-making authorities – e.g. State Secretariat for Education and Research, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Federal Institute of Technology Council. It is also intended as an orientation aid for cantonal and municipal authorities responsible for the implementation of the energy policy objectives. Furthermore, it serves to inform the involved research institutions about areas in which new activities are planned, thereby assuming the character of a public call for tenders for new research projects. Finally, the concept documents how, and with what means, the public authorities in Switzerland deploy energy research in order to achieve their energy policy objectives.

Federal government energy research is an integral part of sector research at the federal level. A total of 12 political areas have defined their own research concepts, which also regulate the cross-relations between the various areas.