The CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas) is a public research body assigned to the Ministry of Science and Innovation under the General Secretariat for Research, focusing on energy and environment and the technologies related to them. It has offices in several different regions of Spain, and its activity is structured around projects which form a bridge between R&D&I and social interest goals.

CIEMAT collaborates with other R&D&I institutions, universities and business in the sector to transfer the knowledge and technology that it has generated, supporting and encouraging innovation and changing the economic model.

The CIEMAT took over from the old Junta de Energía Nuclear (JEN), which since 1951 had led research in nuclear fission energy production and control in Spain. In the decade of the eighties, it opened to new energy alternatives and to applied study of the environmental impact of energy. At present, the main lines of action are the study, development, promotion and optimisation of various sources as: renewable energies, nuclear fusion, nuclear fission and fossil fuels; the study of their impact on the environment, development of new technologies; not forgetting areas of basic research such as high-energy physics and molecular and cellular biology.

Its R&D&I activity is framed in national and international settings, and is complemented by activities such as education, technology transfer, rendering technical services, advising to the administrations and representation of Spain in a diversity of international forums.

Its mission is to contribute to sustainable development of the country and to the quality of life of its citizens through the generation and application of scientific and technological knowledge. Its goal is to maintain its position as a centre of excellence in energy, environment and technology and in basic research.

Its team of 1,328 people is technologically and geographically diversified. In addition to its central offices in Madrid, it has the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) in Andalucía, a scientific installation of international renown in solar technologies, in Soria, the Centro de Desarrollo de Energías Renovables (CEDER) and the Centro Internacional de Estudios de Derecho Ambiental (CIEDA), in Trujillo (Extremadura) the Centro Extremeño de Tecnologías Avanzadas (CETA), and in Barcelona the Centro de Investigación Socio-Técnica (CISOT).