SWEET funding program: "Critical infrastructures, climate change and energy system resilience".

The third call focuses on critical infrastructures such as power plants, dams or the power grid. The research questions are as follows:

• How is the transformation of the energy system affecting critical infrastructure?
• How vulnerable is the energy system to technical, natural and societal threats?
• How can the risks to the energy system and the population be reduced and the resilience of the energy system be increased?

The term "energy system" is understood here to mean the changing system in the period 2021 to 2050. This also takes into account hazards resulting from the increasing decentralization of power supply and the digitalization of the energy system (cyber risks). Hazards arising from or amplified by climate change are of particular interest.

The 2020 national risk analysis by the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP) had shown that two of the top ten risks were related to the energy system. The third call was therefore developed in close cooperation with the FOCP and the National Centre for Climate Services (NCCS) and is a joint activity with the NCCS.

The call will be conducted in two stages. Research consortia from universities, non-profit research institutions, the private sector and the public sector can apply with a pre-proposal by December 3, 2021. The two consortia with the highest ranked pre-proposals will be invited to submit a full proposal. In the end, a consortium will be selected. The call budget of 10 million Swiss francs will be awarded for a term of 6 to 8 years. The final award of the third call is expected to be announced in July 2022, with research starting in October 2022.

The exact conditions for participation are set out in the "Call Guideline" (see attachment to this media release, available in English only).

Support program SWEET

SWEET (Swiss Energy Research for the Energy Transition) conducts rolling calls for consortia projects. The funding program runs until 2032 and only supports consortia projects that comprehensively address key research topics of the Energy Strategy 2050 and long-term climate strategy. The focus of SWEET is on application-oriented research and the demonstration of the results achieved. The program management of SWEET lies with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).

The NCCS

The National Centre for Climate Services is a network and coordinating body of nine federal offices (including SFOE and FOCP) and research institutions. It bundles existing climate services, promotes dialogue between stakeholders, and works together to develop and communicate tailored information, procedures, and solutions. With a new program on cross-sectoral impacts ("NCCS-Impacts"), practical climate services for administration, economy and society will be developed from 2022 to 2025.

Press release BFE