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🇨🇭 Solar Calculator Switzerland

Enter your monthly electricity bill and canton — get solar system size, Einmalvergütung one-time subsidy (CHF 350 + CHF 340/kWp), LCOE, self-consumption savings, and payback period in Swiss Francs.

Your electricity details
CHFCHF
Solar system results — Switzerland
8 kWp system — 934 kWh/kWp/yr
Monthly kWh usage952 kWh/mo
Annual solar production7'475 kWh/yr
Self-consumption savingsCHF 549/yr
Export / net metering savingsCHF 510/yr
Total annual benefitCHF 1'060/yr
System cost rangeCHF 14'400 – CHF 17'600
One-time remuneration (8kWp eligible)-CHF 3'070
Net cost after subsidyCHF 12'930
LCOE (levelized cost)CHF 0.069/kWh
Payback period12.2 years
25-year net savingsCHF 13'560
Einmalvergütung (EVS): Apply through Pronovo AG at pronovo.ch after commissioning. Systems up to 30kWp receive CHF 350 base + CHF 340/kWp. Processing takes 6–18 months. Additional cantonal subsidies may also apply — check your canton's energy office.
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your monthly bill and canton

Enter your average monthly electricity bill in Swiss Francs from your utility (EWZ Zurich, CKW Lucerne, Romande Energie, AEW Energie, or others). The calculator uses a blended retail rate of CHF 0.21/kWh — Switzerland ranks among Europe's highest electricity prices, which partially offsets the high installation costs. Select your canton: Valais (3.9 PSH) and Ticino (3.8 PSH) lead Switzerland in solar resources; Bern (3.1 PSH) and Zurich (3.2 PSH) are lower but still viable.

Set system size and one-time remuneration

Select your system size in kWp. Switzerland is one of Europe's most expensive solar markets at CHF 1,800–2,200/kWp — high labor costs and import duties explain the premium over neighboring Germany or Austria. The Einmalvergütung (one-time remuneration) applies to systems up to 30kWp and pays approximately CHF 350 base plus CHF 340/kWp. Apply through Pronovo AG after commissioning; processing takes 6–18 months.

Self-consumption and net metering

Switzerland operates a net metering system called Eigenverbrauch. Self-consumed solar saves the full retail rate (~CHF 0.21/kWh). Exported surplus is credited at approximately 50% of retail by most cantonal utilities — rates vary significantly by utility. Self-consumption is approximately 2x more valuable than export, so system sizing should match daytime consumption patterns rather than maximizing production.

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill ÷ CHF 0.21/kWh (blended retail rate) Annual production = kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 efficiency Self-consumption = Annual kWh × 35% (without battery) Self-consumption savings = Self-consumed kWh × CHF 0.21/kWh retail Export savings = Exported kWh × CHF 0.21 × 50% (net metering ~50% retail) System cost = kWp × CHF 1,800–2,200/kWp (incl. Swiss premium) One-time remuneration = CHF 350 + (CHF 340 × min(kWp, 30)) LCOE = Net cost ÷ (Annual kWh × 25yr) Payback = Net cost ÷ Annual benefit (typically 8–10 years)

Switzerland's solar support framework is governed by the Energiegesetz (EnG) and administered by Pronovo AG, which replaced the KEV (Kostendeckende Einspeisevergütung) with the current Einmalvergütung (EVS) for smaller systems. Systems from 2 kWp to 30 kWp qualify for EVS; larger systems (30–500kWp) may apply for the Einspeisevergütung (EIV). Additional cantonal subsidies are available — Zurich, Geneva, Bern, and Ticino all have supplementary programmes. Switzerland has a 2050 net-zero target and the 2024 Mantelerlass law mandates significant solar expansion on buildings.

Example

Hans — Zurich family home, 8kWp

Hans pays CHF 200/month for his home in Zurich. He installs an 8kWp system and claims the Einmalvergütung subsidy through Pronovo AG.

Monthly billCHF 200
Canton / PSHZurich, 3.2 PSH
System size8 kWp
One-time remunerationYes

Result

Annual production~7,505 kWh/yr
Production per kWp~938 kWh/kWp/yr
Self-consumption savings~CHF 553/yr
Export savings~CHF 513/yr
Total annual benefit~CHF 1,066/yr
System costCHF 14,400–17,600
One-time remuneration-CHF 3,070
Net cost~CHF 13,000
LCOE~CHF 0.069/kWh
Payback~12.2 years
25-year net savings~CHF 13,650

Zurich's 3.2 PSH and Switzerland's high installation costs make payback longer than southern European peers. However, the LCOE of ~CHF 0.069/kWh is far below the retail rate of CHF 0.21/kWh, making solar economically compelling over a 25-year horizon. Valais or Ticino installations with 3.8–3.9 PSH achieve 8–9 year paybacks — substantially better than Zurich or Bern.

FAQ

Yes, but Switzerland has higher installation costs (CHF 1,800–2,200/kWp) and lower solar radiation than southern Europe. Payback ranges from 8–10 years in sunny Valais and Ticino to 12–14 years in Zurich and Bern. High Swiss electricity prices (CHF 0.18–0.26/kWh depending on utility) partly compensate. The Einmalvergütung subsidy of up to CHF 10,500 for 30kWp, plus cantonal grants, significantly improves economics. Switzerland's 2050 net-zero commitment and Mantelerlass law (2024) will drive continued solar expansion.
The Einmalvergütung (one-time remuneration, EVS) is Switzerland's main solar subsidy, replacing the former KEV feed-in tariff. It's a one-time payment administered by Pronovo AG for systems from 2kWp to 30kWp. The amount is approximately CHF 350 base + CHF 340 per kWp. For a 10kWp system, that's CHF 350 + CHF 3,400 = CHF 3,750. Apply at pronovo.ch after system commissioning. Processing takes 6–18 months. The system must be installed by a certified Elektroinstallateur.
Valais (3.9 PSH) is Switzerland's sunniest canton, particularly the high-altitude Rhone valley which gets exceptional solar radiation and benefits from snow reflection. Ticino (3.8 PSH) and Lugano (3.7 PSH) benefit from a Mediterranean microclimate south of the Alps. Geneva (3.5 PSH) and Lausanne (3.4 PSH) are solid performers. Bern (3.1 PSH) and Zurich (3.2 PSH) receive less due to cloud cover from prevailing westerly weather patterns.
Switzerland uses Eigenverbrauchsregelung (self-consumption regulation). Your solar system first covers your own consumption. Surplus electricity is fed into the grid and credited by your utility at a rate they set — typically 50–70% of retail price. This rate varies significantly by canton and utility: EWZ Zurich, Romande Energie, and AEW are relatively generous; some smaller utilities pay as little as 8c/kWh. Check your specific utility's Rückspeisetarif before purchasing. Unlike Germany, Switzerland has no fixed feed-in tariff for small systems after commissioning.
Yes — most cantons offer additional grants beyond the federal Einmalvergütung. Examples: Zurich offers additional incentives through the EnAW programme; Geneva has the programme SITG solar; Ticino subsidises solar through the cantonal energy office; Valais has specific Alpine solar incentives. Municipalities also offer grants — check with your Gemeinde (Gemeindeverwaltung). The website energiefranken.ch aggregates available subsidies by address.

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