CO2 Capture, Utilisation and Storage / Negative Emissions Technologies
The CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, transport and Storage) / NET (Negative Emission Technologies) research program of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) promotes innovation along the entire process chain: from CO2 capture through utilization in materials and fuels to storage in geological formations.
The focus is on research projects that are relevant to the energy sector or have implications for energy-related processes. The aim is to advance CCUS and NET technologies through research and innovation across all stages of the process chain - with a focus on Switzerland’s needs and framework conditions. More detailed information can be found in the CCUS / NET Research Concept for the years 2023–2028.
The CCUS / NET research program brings together the following research programs with different areas of focus:
Industrial Processes – topics related to CO2 capture from industrial activities or directly from the atmosphere, as well as its conditioning, transport and utilisation. Areas of particular interest are the development and optimisation of efficient and economically viable capture technologies, their integration into industrial processes, as well as transport solutions and associated infrastructure. CO2 utilisation includes, in particular, its conversion into synthetic fuels or chemical products, as well as its mineralisation and incorporation into construction materials. NETs include technologies that enable the permanent removal of CO2 from the atmosphere, for example through direct air capture and permanent storage (DACCS) or through mineralisation. Particular attention is paid to the potential to reduce emissions or permanently remove CO2 from the atmosphere, to energy efficiency, to upscaling and to the multiplication potential of these solutions. Sector coupling approaches aimed at optimising the integration and synergies between CO2 and different energy carriers (e.g. electricity, heat, hydrogen, synthetic fuels) across industrial and energy processes and systems are also of interest.
(Contact: elena-lavinia.niederhaeuser@bfe.admin.ch)
Bioenergy – approaches combining bioenergy with CO2 capture, utilisation and storage (BECCUS, Bioenergy with Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage): the biogenic CO2 released during the energetic use of biomass (e.g. wood, agricultural residues or biowaste) is captured and subsequently either utilised (e.g. in synthetic fuels or materials) or stored. Since the biomass has previously removed CO2 from the atmosphere, BECCUS can enable net negative emissions – depending on the end-use pathway and the origin of the biomass.
(Contact: vanessa.burg@bfe.admin.ch)
Geoenergy – topics related to geological CO2 storage, including research on safety aspects of CO2 storage, the development of measurement and monitoring concepts to ensure the long-term permanence of stored CO2, and the characterization of potential reservoir and cap rocks in the Swiss subsurface, with regard to their short- and long-term chemical, thermal, hydraulic, and mechanical response to CO2 injection.
In addition, overlapping research questions with other subsurface uses (e.g. geothermal energy, underground energy storage) are of interest, particularly with respect to innovative and efficient prospection and exploration methods and approaches to reservoir development.
(Contact: florence.begue@bfe.admin.ch)
Funding procedure
Research funding is provided on a subsidiary basis through an open bottom-up procedure as well as through thematic calls for proposals (top-down). Project proposals may generally be submitted at any time, provided they are clearly in line with the objectives of the research programme and the federal energy strategy.
Interested applicants are advised to contact the programme management at an early stage and to first submit a brief project outline (max. 2–3 pages; see Project Outline Template). This serves as a preliminary review of content and strategic fit, and should include information on the subject area, project scope, project partners, and relevance to Switzerland. Based on this, and subject to the availability of funds, applicants will be advised whether to proceed with a full application. The Directive on the submission and evaluation of applications for financial support of energy research projects must be followed when submitting an application.