Financial rewards for installing solar panels on residential properties within Switzerland
Solar Panels: A Brighter, More Affordable Future for Switzerland
In just over three years, the Swiss government is setting the stage for a solar revolution. Come 2025, homeowners can expect significant financial incentives for installing solar panels, making it more wallet-friendly than ever. Here's a breakdown of the upcoming changes, designed to electrify Switzerland's rooftops and facades.
Financial Boost in Solar Power
Starting April 1st, 2025, the tilt angle of solar panel installations will play a crucial role in determining subsidies. If your installation boasts a tilt angle of at least 75 degrees and falls under integrated, additional, or isolated categories, you're in for a treat! Here are the financial bonuses:
For integrated installations with a tilt angle of at least 75 degrees, the bonus will surge from 250 to 400 francs per kilowatt (kW) of installed power. For additional or isolated installations, it will leap from 100 to 200 francs per kW.
This move is a strategic one, aiming to inspire the construction of more photovoltaic (PV) installations on facades that will harness a significant amount of electricity in the winter months, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).
Compensation Adjustments
Recently, the compensation rate has been tweaked to allow larger-scale installations integrated into rooftops. For integrated installations, those with a total power exceeding 100 kW will receive:
- 330 francs/kW for power outputs below 100 kW
- 250 francs/kW for installed power outputs above 100 kW
Subsidy Distributions
Who's in charge of doling out these subsidies? That'd be your canton! Each one sports an environmental protection office that will keep you updated on legal requirements, subsidies you might qualify for, and application procedures. For instance, if you're a resident of Zurich, Geneva, Vaud, or Basel-City, you should start looking them up.
Leap Forward for Renewable Energy
In June 2024, a staggering 69% of Swiss voters approved a new electricity legislation aimed at quickening the development of renewable energy. The law mandates that new buildings with a construction surface area of more than 300 square metres must install solar PV systems on their roofs or facades. Cantons are given the freedom to mandate PV panels on smaller houses as well.
Exploring the World of Solar Power
Experts often advise a PV system of around 50 m² for single-family homes, with a maximum output of 8 to 10 kilowatts. This setup allows households to meet about 20% of their electrical needs while selling the remaining 80% to the grid. Households can also sell off excess electricity to the grid and earn feed-in remuneration.
As we look to the future, Switzerland is targeting the production of around 35 TWh of electricity from new renewable sources by 2035, with approximately 80% coming from solar power alone. brace yourself for a shining tomorrow, as Switzerland embraces a sustainable solar future.
- Come 2025, the financial incentives for installing photovoltaic (PV) systems will significantly increase, with integrated installations receiving a bonus of up to 400 francs per kilowatt (kW) of installed power.
- When approved legislation in June 2024 takes effect, new buildings with a surface area of more than 300 square metres will be mandated to install solar PV systems, with cantons given the power to expand this requirement to smaller houses.
- In the future, Switzerland aims to produce around 80% of its electricity from solar power alone, with households installing PV systems of around 50 square metres, generating up to 10 kilowatts, meeting approximately 20% of their electrical needs while selling the excess to the grid and earning feed-in remuneration.
