The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is a multi-disciplinary Swiss federal research centre for natural sciences and technology. In national and international collaboration with universities, other research institutes and industry, PSI is active in solid state physics, materials sciences, elementary particle physics, life sciences, nuclear and non-nuclear energy research, and energy-related ecology.

The institute’s priorities lie in areas of basic and applied research, particularly in fields which are relevant for sustainable development, as well as of major importance for teaching and training, but which are beyond the possibilities of a single university department. PSI develops and operates complex research installations which call for especially high standards of know-how, experience and professionalism, and is one of the world’s leading user laboratories for the national and international scientific community. Through its research, PSI acquires new basic knowledge and actively pursues its application in industry. PSI currently employs approximately 1400 people.

Within the two Research Departments General Energy and Nuclear Energy and Safety, which comprise roughly 30 % of PSI’s resources at equal share, energy research is being carried out.

Research at PSI’s General Energy Research Department comprises all aspects of human energy use, with the ultimate goal of promoting development towards a sustainable energy supply system. Technologies are being advanced for the utilization of renewable energy sources, low-loss energy storage, efficient conversion, and low emission energy use. Experimental and model-based assessment of these emissions forms the basis of a comprehensive assessment of economic, ecological and environmental consequences, for both present and future energy supply systems. These topics are carried out in the seven laboratories of Electrochemistry, Bioenergy and Catalysis, Solar Technology, Combustion Research, Atmospheric Chemistry, Energy Systems Analysis, and Energy and Environment.