How will future national coordinated energy research look like when the eight Swiss Competence Centers for Energy Research (SCCER) and the two National Research Programs NFP 70 and NFP 71 conclude the end of 2020?

The Extended Energy Commission of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences presents one possible option in its new report “Energy research 2020+ in Switzerland – Recommendations for future programmatic funding”.

The new report points out that only a comprehensive, systemic and transdisciplinary funding program can cope with the complexity of the future energy system and the numerous interdependencies between different sectors as well as socioeconomic, ecological and technological aspects.

The key messages of the report are:

• Systemic and transdisciplinary research activities including field studies should be expanded and reinforced in a future national research program
• A national program is not necessary for disciplinary basic and applied research. This is covered by the framework of already established research institutions and research funding schemes
• Main challenges of a national program include systemic perception, interaction with key disciplines and stakeholders as well as the consideration of the time scales along the entire chain of readiness levels
• Further important aspects are flexibility for redirection if necessary, consideration of pilot and field studies, intensified participation of industry, the private and public sectors as well as including the research community when determining funding topics
• The proposed funding volume amounts to 10-15 million CHF per year during 8-12 years (3-5 parallel research consortia during 4-6 years with 2-4 million CHF per year each)

Download the report:

in English auf Deutsch