Electricity

Electricity is essential in today’s society at both the private and the business level. With a proportion of around 25 percent of overall energy demand, electricity is of central importance in the energy sector. Despite constant efficiency gains, electricity demand will continue to increase in the future due to the increasing decarbonisation in the transport (e.g. e-mobility) and heating (e.g. heat pumps) sectors.

The Electricity research programme covers strategically relevant research aspects across the entire electricity supply chain, from electricity production to transmission and distribution and consumption. By combining technological innovation, digital transformation and international networking, it lays the foundation for the sustainable and efficient further development of the electricity system and electricity use.

Research priorities

Power electronics

• Novel converter topologies; innovative semiconductor materials (e.g. SiC, GaN)
• Efficient drive systems (e.g. with SiC- and GaN-based converters)
• Ensuring system stability and voltage quality (e.g. with grid-forming inverters, active control and regulation of active and reactive power, reliable protection and fault location systems); methods and concepts of system operation to increase resilience and for grid restoration
  

Electric motors and drive systems in industry, generators

• Engines/drive systems: energy-efficient technologies and control systems using power electronic components and sustainable materials; principles for international standards and effective regulations.
• Generators: optimisation of efficiency; use of sustainable materials; reduction of material requirements through innovative designs
  

Digitalisation

• Sustainable optimisation of the operation of individual plants up to entire systems (e.g. digital twins, big data analytics)
• Increasing the efficiency of data centres and their system integration
  

Flexibility

• Ensuring system and grid stability, taking into account digital processes and power electronic components

Network planning

• Application-oriented, robust planning tools that fully exploit the possibilities of current and future network elements and digitalisation

Wherever possible and appropriate, the participation of partners from business and industry must be sought in order to ensure the relevance of research for technological development and the needs of society. An appropriate share of at least 20 to 30 percent of own and/or third-party funds is expected.

National research funding is provided in response to calls for proposals on specific topics. Unfortunately, no submissions are possible outside of calls for proposals at present.

The next call for proposals is expected to take place at the beginning of 2026.

It is not possible to sponsor conferences.

Documents

Fact sheet

• Research Programme Electricity
  (PDF, 103 KB, 30.04.2025) ID: 12098 | 908

Specialised articles Electricity

• PV: Ein einziger Schalter bietet genug Schutz
  (PDF, 1.5 MB, 27.03.2025) ID: 12060 | 141
• Homeoffice spart Energie – oder?
  (PDF, 1.9 MB, 06.02.2025) ID: 12023 | 141
• Wärmepumpen: KI erkennt Ineffizienz
  (PDF, 2 MB, 06.02.2025) ID: 12024 | 141
• Upgrade for biogas plants
  (PDF, 2.1 MB, 21.11.2024) ID: 11941 | 141
• Strombezüge staffeln, Lastspitzen entschärfen
  (PDF, 3.2 MB, 26.09.2024) ID: 11862 | 141

Display more publications ID: 141

• Predictive maintenance of the power grid assets
  (PDF, 2.1 MB, 15.08.2024) ID: 11821 | 141
• Dezentrale Algorithmen machen Netz transparent
  (PDF, 4.4 MB, 25.04.2024) ID: 11702 | 141
• Charging stations in the service of the grid
  (PDF, 2.4 MB, 25.04.2024) ID: 11703 | 141
• Druckluft isoliert Erdkabel
  (PDF, 4.6 MB, 22.02.2024) ID: 11648 | 141
• The car industry is the technology driver
  (PDF, 2.7 MB, 18.01.2024) ID: 11615 | 141
• Currents in electric cars are well shielded
  (PDF, 3.5 MB, 30.11.2023) ID: 11579 | 141
• Eine PV-Anlage im Dienst des Verteilnetzes
  (PDF, 3.3 MB, 05.10.2023) ID: 11514 | 141
• Notstrom: dezentral und erneuerbar
  (PDF, 2.9 MB, 15.06.2023) ID: 11424 | 141
• Electricity instead of compressed air
  (PDF, 2.6 MB, 11.05.2023) ID: 11387 | 141
• Strom aus Abwärme niedriger Temperatur
  (PDF, 1.4 MB, 15.12.2022) ID: 11233 | 141
• Erneuerbares Gas aus dem Schweizer Untergrund
  (PDF, 3.2 MB, 10.11.2022) ID: 11161 | 141
• Wer hat Angst vor dem ZEV?
  (PDF, 2.8 MB, 03.11.2022) ID: 11158 | 141
• Making cryptocurrency greener
  (PDF, 4.4 MB, 08.09.2022) ID: 11030 | 141
• How converters stabilize the power grid
  (PDF, 5.3 MB, 23.06.2022) ID: 10944 | 141
• Wenn Strom ohne Widerstand fliesst
  (PDF, 2.9 MB, 02.06.2022) ID: 10925 | 141
• Der versteckte Nutzen von PV-Anlagen
  (PDF, 4.9 MB, 07.10.2021) ID: 10637 | 141
• Wozu Smart Meter gut sind
  (PDF, 3.6 MB, 07.10.2021) ID: 10638 | 141
• Die Verlockung des eigenen PV-Stroms
  (PDF, 3.4 MB, 03.05.2021) ID: 10515 | 141
• Eine Sicherung für alle Fälle
  (PDF, 5.8 MB, 02.03.2021) ID: 10485 | 141
• Switching elements of the thrifty variety
  (PDF, 2.1 MB, 14.01.2021) ID: 10364 | 141
• Problem und Teil der Lösung
  (PDF, 3.2 MB, 02.06.2020) ID: 10104 | 141
• Stromnetz fit machen für die Erneuerbaren
  (PDF, 2.7 MB, 20.05.2020) ID: 10101 | 141
• Compressed air stabilizes the power grid
  (PDF, 2.6 MB, 20.03.2020) ID: 10065 | 141
• Huge energy-savings by WBG semiconductors
  (PDF, 2.2 MB, 07.02.2020) ID: 10023 | 141
• Licht nach Bedarf
  (PDF, 1.8 MB, 30.08.2019) ID: 9814 | 141
• When Algorithms Control PV Consumption
  (PDF, 2.4 MB, 09.08.2019) ID: 9795 | 141
• Stromnetz-Monitoring via das Stromnetz
  (PDF, 1.9 MB, 31.05.2019) ID: 9724 | 141
• When devices become ‹energy-aware›
  (PDF, 1.4 MB, 11.01.2019) ID: 9588 | 141
• Smart Meter ohne Störsignal
  (PDF, 2.2 MB, 13.04.2018) ID: 9321 | 141
• SBB: A new battery for the on-board network
  (PDF, 4 MB, 09.03.2018) ID: 9074 | 141
• Who’s afraid of power lines?
  (PDF, 3.5 MB, 09.02.2018) ID: 9008 | 141
• Industriebetrieb bricht Spitzen beim Stromverbrauch
  (PDF, 2.5 MB, 08.12.2017) ID: 8927 | 141
• Ein zweites Leben für Postroller-Batterien
  (PDF, 2.9 MB, 10.11.2017) ID: 8870 | 141
• Drahtlos Laden: bequem, aber weniger effizient
  (PDF, 1.6 MB, 06.10.2017) ID: 8806 | 141
• Industrieanlagen stabilisieren das Stromnetz
  (PDF, 3 MB, 14.09.2017) ID: 8783 | 141
• Druckluftspeicher: Der Fels hält dicht
  (PDF, 2.4 MB, 20.01.2017) ID: 8552 | 141
• Eine Welt fast ohne Standby-Verbrauch und Gebrauchsanleitungen auf Papier
  (PDF, 1.8 MB, 16.12.2016) ID: 8526 | 141
• Networking Achieved With Low power
  (PDF, 4.1 MB, 14.11.2016) ID: 8478 | 141
• Electricity flow on Track
  (PDF, 3.2 MB, 27.10.2016) ID: 8453 | 141
• Der Algorithmus als Energieberater
  (PDF, 1.9 MB, 20.09.2016) ID: 8411 | 141
• Das Potenzial der Thermoelektrik
  (PDF, 1.4 MB, 08.07.2016) ID: 8352 | 141
• Damit die Batterie ins Netz passt
  (PDF, 2.2 MB, 24.06.2016) ID: 8341 | 141
• Augen im Stromnetz
  (PDF, 2.6 MB, 31.05.2016) ID: 8314 | 141
• Distribution Grid with an Outlook
  (PDF, 1.3 MB, 05.02.2016) ID: 8173 | 141
• Strom aus handwarmem Wasser
  (PDF, 1.1 MB, 19.11.2015) ID: 8095 | 141
• A measurement system that recognizes (almost) all electrical appliances
  (PDF, 1.2 MB, 16.11.2015) ID: 8086 | 141
• A salt battery that stores solar power
  (PDF, 1.7 MB, 28.09.2015) ID: 8043 | 141
• tiko belebt den Regelenergie-Markt
  (PDF, 1.3 MB, 26.07.2015) ID: 7961 | 141
• More stable power thanks turbogenerators
  (PDF, 877 KB, 02.07.2015) ID: 7953 | 141
• Trafos haben noch Effizienzpotenzial
  (PDF, 824 KB, 09.06.2015) ID: 7914 | 141
• Die richtige Batterie für Selbstversorger
  (PDF, 741 KB, 14.11.2014) ID: 7629 | 141
• Der Thermostat wird energieautark
  (PDF, 1011 KB, 03.11.2014) ID: 7619 | 141
• Collective intelligence for the electricity grid
  (PDF, 834 KB, 10.09.2014) ID: 7573 | 141
• A novel router that consumes only one fifth of the usual current
  (PDF, 820 KB, 19.02.2014) ID: 7368 | 141
• When the cold store becomes a battery
  (PDF, 422 KB, 18.10.2013) ID: 7285 | 141
• Connaître les influences météorologiques permet de mieux exploiter les lignes électriques
  (PDF, 124 KB, 01.07.2013) ID: 7119 | 141
• Power lines that respond to the weather
  (PDF, 533 KB, 25.03.2013) ID: 7046 | 141
• Strom speichern mit Kochsalz
  (PDF, 1000 KB, 01.07.2012) ID: 6973 | 141
• Wege zum Ersatz von Elektroheizungen
  (PDF, 309 KB, 01.07.2011) ID: 5959 | 141
• SBB deckt Sparpotenziale auf
  (PDF, 150 KB, 01.03.2009) ID: 6654 | 141

Links

IEA Energy Technology Network initiatives:

IEA 4E TCP – Energy Efficient End-use Equipment

IEA 4E TCP PECTA – Power Electronic Conversion Technology

IEA 4E TCP EMSA – Electric Motor Systems

IEA 4E TCP EDNA – Electronic Devices & Networks

IEA 4E TCP SSL – Solid State Lighting

IEA ISGAN TCP – International Smart Grids Action Network

IEA ECES TCP – Energy Storage

IEA Users TCP – User-centered Energy Systems

European initiatives:

ERA-Net SES – Smart Energy Systems

ETIP SNET – Smart Networks for Energy Transition

Law

Energy labels and efficiency requirements

Last modification 26.03.2025