Fraunhofer Chile Research (FCR) was established in Chile in 2010, as the first of the research institutions of Corfo's Programme for the Attraction of International Centres of Excellence. Since January 2021, it has been under the auspices of the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID).
Its Center for Solar Energy Technologies (FCR CSET) is part of the 15 independent international affiliated centres of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany), the largest applied science organisation in Europe.
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, based in Germany, is the world's leading application-oriented research organisation. With its focus on future-relevant key technologies and the utilisation of the results in business and industry, it plays a central role in the innovation process. As a guide and source of inspiration for innovative developments and scientific excellence, it helps shape our society and our future. Founded in 1949, the organisation currently operates 76 institutes and research facilities in Germany. More than 30,000 employees, mostly science or engineering graduates, work on the annual research volume of 2.9 billion euros. Of this, €2.5 billion is contract research.