The Climate and Innovation Act was adopted by popular vote on June 18th 2023. It entered into force on January 1st 2025, together with its application ordinance. The law provides for the introduction of a hedge for risks associated with investments in public infrastructure projects required to achieve the net-zero goal (art. 7 Climate and Innovation Act). This includes thermal networks and long-term thermal storage, which can be covered by part of the financial resources made available for the promotion of new technologies and processes (art. 6 Climate and Innovation Act).
Eligible risks are those whose occurrence is not foreseeable and which are beyond the control of the operator. In the case of thermal networks, the restriction or loss of heat production and the loss of a significant portion of heat sales are considered such risks. For long-term thermal storage it is the reduction in storage efficiency of more than 15% and, in the case of pit thermal energy storage, the unforeseeable restriction of surface use (so-called dual use). The cover is for up to CHF 5 million and covers a maximum of half of the sustained financial loss.
The application for a risk coverage can be submitted to BFE starting from January 1st 2025 (itinero@bfe.admin.ch).
Last modification 03.04.2025
