Launch of the third SWEET call for proposals on "Critical Infrastructures

The third call for proposals for the SWEET funding programme will be launched on 9 September with the central theme of "Critical infrastructures, climate change and resilience of the Swiss energy system". The call is a joint activity of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and the National Center for Climate Services (NCCS).

Energy infrastructures such as power plants, dams and grids for electricity, gas and heat form the backbone of our current energy supply. In the future, energy supply will be increasingly shaped by decentralised renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic and wind plants, various conversion and storage technologies and digitalisation.

Malfunctions can have a serious impact on the economy, society and services that are important for the well-being of the population (energy and water supply, waste and wastewater disposal, medical care, etc.). The safe and reliable functioning of these infrastructures is therefore of key importance.

Focus on the resilience of the energy system

The call for proposals inv ites the Swiss research community to investigate the vulnerability and resilience of the Swiss energy system up to 2050. Among other things, the research consortia should investigate how critical existing and future energy infrastructures are or will be. Hazards posed by technology, nature and society must be taken into account.

Hazards that are influenced by climate change are of particular interest. Applicants are expected, among other things, to use their research to develop concrete recommendations for infrastructure operators, political bodies and federal and supervisory authorities on how to increase the resilience of the energy system.

The call for proposals will be carried out in two stages (pre-proposal / full proposal). After evaluation of the Pre-Proposal, the top two consortia will be invited to submit a Full Proposal. In the end, one consortium will be awarded the contract. The budget of the call is CHF 10 million.

Consortia can submit their pre-proposal to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy until 3 December 2021.
Click here for information on the call.

Alice Feehan, Energy Research and Cleantech Specialist, Swiss Federal Office of Energy