SFOE - Swiss Federal Office of Energy

BFE - Bundesamt für Energie, OFEN - Office fédéral de l'énergie, UFE - Ufficio federale dell'energia

Swiss Federal Office of Energy
Monbijoustrasse 74
3003 Bern

+41 31 322 56 11
+41 31 323 25 00

http://www.bfe.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en

Abstract:
The SFOE is the office responsible for all questions relating to energy supply and energy use within the Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC). In accordance with the DETEC organisational ordinance the SFOE pursues the following objectives :

It creates the necessary conditions for ensuring a sufficient, well diversified and secure energy supply that is both economical and ecologically sustainable. It sets out to promote efficient energy use and increase the proportion of renewable energy in the overall energy mix. It imposes high safety standards in the area of nuclear energy and in the transportation and distribution of electricity, gas, heating oils, motor fuels and other combustibles. It creates the necessary conditions for increasing the efficiency of energy supply while preserving the competitive capacity of the energy industry.

The duties of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy encompass energy matters on the domestic and international levels : preparation of legislation and implementation of energy policy, particularly in the fields of rational use of energy (RUE), renewable energy sources (RES), energy technologies and systems (pilot and demonstration plants (P+D)), nuclear installations and materials, radiation protection (licensing procedures, safety and security, supervision, disposal of radioactive waste), pipelines (operating licences, planning permission), electricity, energy and electricity statistics and perspectives, the SwissEnergy programme, and international implementing agreements and co-operations in collaboration with member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA).


Energy research
In common with other industrialised nations, energy research represents an important pillar of energy policy in Switzerland. The public authorities spend some 160 MCHF (million Swiss Francs) a year on energy RD&D (research, development and demonstration). The objectives are to create a secure and sustainable energy supply, strengthen Switzerland's position as a marketplace for energy technology and maintain the high quality of Swiss energy research. High priority is attached to international co-operation and the efficient implementation of research findings. The energy research carried out in the public sector is based on the "Swiss Federal Energy Research Master Plan" of the federal government, which is updated every four years by the Swiss Federal Energy Research Commission (CORE). The Swiss Federal Office of Energy is responsible for the implementation of this Master Plan.

In the energy sector, innovation cycles from basic research through to introduction of products onto the market often take decades, and in view of this, co-operation between the public sector with its longer-term orientation, and the private sector with its shorter-term horizons, is essential. Through the greater use of resources by universities and increased contributions from the private sector, efforts are being made to strengthen energy RD&D in Switzerland. And in order to translate findings into practice, broad-based marketing activities by SwissEnergy are to be supported and accelerated.