Solar power in Switzerland

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Swiss solar potential SolarGIS-Solar-map-Switzerland-en.png
Swiss solar potential

Solar power in Switzerland has demonstrated consistent capacity growth since the early 2010s, influenced by government subsidy mechanisms such as the implementation of the feed-in tariff in 2009 and the enactment of the revised Energy Act in 2018. By the end of 2023, solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity had reached 6.4 GW, a notable increase from the 0.1 GW recorded in 2010. [1] Concurrently, the share of solar power in electricity generation has also increased, climbing from 0.1% in 2010 to 5.9% in 2023. [2]

Contents

In 2024, the Swiss Solar Energy Association said solar power could be covering 50% of Switzerland's annual electricity consumption in 2050 if current market and installation trends continue. [3]

In 2022, Switzerland's federal parliament revised the Energy Act to streamline the authorization process for new solar installations, aligning with the nation's transition to sustainable energy as it phases out nuclear power. [4]

On February 1, 2023, Switzerland held its first auction for one-off payments for large photovoltaic (PV) systems. 94 applicants received payments ranging from CHF 360 to CHF 640 per kilowatt (kW), supporting a total capacity of 35 MW. [5]

Solar production

In 2021, Switzerland's photovoltaic (PV) installations increased to 685 MWp from 475 MWp in 2020. The Federal Energy Act, revised and effective from January 1, 2018, changed the support scheme for PV systems: it extended the one-time investment subsidy to all sizes of PV systems, ranging from 2 kW to 50 MW. Additionally, in 2022, the investment subsidy formula was updated to encourage investments in larger PV capacities and more efficient use of rooftop space. [6]

The AlpinSolar project, comprising nearly 5000 solar panels on Switzerland's Lake Muttsee dam, harnesses high-altitude sunlight and snow cover to maximize energy production, particularly in winter. Completed in 2022, the installation has already commenced production at the site. Managed by Axpo, it generates about 3.3 million kilowatt hours annually, sufficient for 700 households. Switzerland's federal parliament amended the Energy Act in 2022 to expedite the approval process for new solar plants, reflecting a shift toward sustainable energy amid the country's nuclear phase-out. [4]

In a February 2023 press release, researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Bern highlighted findings from a study on the economic viability of solar panel installations across 2,067 Swiss cities and communes. The study found that solar installations offer financial viability for slightly less than half of the single-family homes with gas heating, contingent on achieving a profitability threshold exceeding three percent over a 30-year period. The analysis took into consideration several key factors, including installation and maintenance costs, system performance, the tax rate, and the compensation rates for energy fed back into the grid. [7]

In Switzerland, the price paid for solar energy added to the grid varies widely, ranging from less than 4 cents to as high as 21.75 cents per kWh in 2022 in one canton alone. [8]

Opposition

In 2022, Switzerland derived 6% of its electricity from solar power. Studies show that installing solar panels on mountaintops in the Swiss Alps could produce at least 16 terawatt-hours (TWh) a year, approaching half of the nation's 2050 solar energy target. Typically, solar panels in Switzerland are mounted on existing infrastructure like mountain huts, ski lifts, and dams, with larger-scale installations in the Alps remaining rare. [9]

On September 10, 2023, 54% of Valais voters rejected Alpine solar project proposals due to environmental and aesthetic concerns. This decision, opposed by the Swiss People's Party and environmental groups, suggests a preference for solar development in urban areas. Valais, known as one of Switzerland's sunniest regions suitable for solar parks, witnessed a significant vote that impacts the direction of renewable energy projects within the canton. [10]

Feed-in tariffs 2009 (KEV)

Swiss Electricity by Source
Circle frame.svgHydro–Run of the riverHydro–Conventional (dams)SolarWindWaste IncinerationNuclear
  •   Hydro Riv.: 17,000 GWh (26.6%)
  •   Hydro Dam: 22,600 GWh (35.3%)
  •   Solar PV: 2,850 GWh (4.5%)
  •   Wood: 675 GWh (1.1%)
  •   Wind: 145 GWh (0.2%)
  •   Waste Incin.: 2,180 GWh (3.4%)
  •   Nuclear: 18,500 GWh (28.9%)
Electricity sector in Switzerland, in 2021. Mostly carbon free with hydro (62%) and nuclear (29%). [11]

The feed-in remuneration at cost (KEV, German : Kostendeckende Einspeisevergütung [12] ) is a Swiss subsidy mechanism designed to support the production of electricity from renewable energy sources. Since January 1, 2009, producers of electricity from wind, small hydropower, biomass, photovoltaics (PV), or geothermal energy have been remunerated with a guaranteed tariff for the electricity they feed into the grid. [13] This compensation is provided as long as they are not on an extensive waiting list due to capacity constraints.

Initially, the tariff system for solar PV installations in Switzerland differentiated between rooftop, open-space, and building-integrated setups, with capacity-based rates. These rates were adjusted periodically to match solar PV pricing fluctuations. In 2014, a significant amendment introduced a one-time investment grant for small-scale rooftop installations, removing feed-in tariffs for installations below 10 kW. Owners of installations between 10 kW and 30 kW had the option to choose between the feed-in tariff and the investment grant. Subsequent modifications in 2015 standardized tariff rates for both rooftop and open-space installations. [14]

As of February 2024, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) announced that feed-in remuneration at cost (KEV) subsidies, introduced in 2009 to promote electricity generation from renewable energies, are no longer available for new installations. [15]

Energy Act 2017

In Switzerland, the "Energy Strategy 2050" and a revised Federal Energy Act in 2017 have led to changes in the photovoltaic (PV) sector. Since January 1, 2018, adjustments include extending the one-time investment subsidy to all PV systems (2 kW to 50 MW) and gradually replacing the feed-in tariff scheme (KEV) with a market-aligned remuneration system. Systems below 100 kW receive only the one-time subsidy, and only PV projects announced before June 30, 2012, benefit from the original feed-in tariff. A new measure enables different end consumers to connect and act as a single consumer towards the local energy supplier, fostering collective self-consumption based on physical grid infrastructure. This initiative was updated in 2019 to enhance flexibility and attractiveness for investors. [16]

PV capacity

Installed PV capacity (in MW)
Year
End
Total
Capacity
Yearly
Installation
19924.7n.a.
19935.81
19946.71
19957.51
19968.41
19979.71
1998122
1999131
2000152
2001182
2002202
2003212
2004232
2005274
2006303
2007366
20084812
20097426
201011037
2011211100
2012437226
2013756319
20141,076320
20151,394318
20161,664270
20171,906242
20182,171265
20192,498327
20202,973475
20213,655682
20224,7381,083
Source: IEA-PVPS, Bundesamt für Energie, 2019, [17] 2020, 2021 [18]


250
500
750
1,000
1,250
1,500
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2022
Yearly Installation – Annually installed PV capacity in MW since 2005
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2022
Total Capacity – Cumulative installed PV capacity in MW since 2005
European PV growth in watts per capita 1992-2014
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
<0.1, n/a
0.1-1
1-10
10-50
50-100
100-150
150-200
200-300
300-450 Europe WattPerCapita animated sequence 1992-2014.gif
European PV growth in watts per capita 1992–2014
  <0.1, n/a
  0.1-1
  1-10
  10-50
  50-100
  100-150
  150-200
  200-300
  300-450
Number of Countries with PV Capacities in the Gigawatt-scale
5
10
15
20
2006
2010
2014
Growing number of solar gigawatt-markets
  Countries above the 1-GW mark
  • 2014 Flag of Thailand.svg Flag of the Netherlands.svg Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
    2013 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Flag of Romania.svg Flag of South Korea.svg
    2012 Flag of Bulgaria.svg Flag of Greece.svg Flag of India.svg Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
    2011 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
    2010 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Flag of France.svg
    2009 Flag of Italy.svg
    2008 Flag of Spain.svg Flag of the United States.svg
    2004 Flag of Japan.svg Flag of Germany.svg
  Countries above the 10-GW mark
  • 2013 Flag of the United States.svg Flag of Japan.svg Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
    2011 Flag of Italy.svg
    2010 Flag of Germany.svg

See also

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References

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  3. "Solar energy to meet 10% of Swiss electricity needs". Swissinfo.ch. 2024-07-12. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  4. 1 2 "Switzerland's solar dam: Sun and snow the perfect mix for green energy drive". Reuters. 2023-02-07.
  5. "Auction scheme for large-scale solar PV – Policies". IEA. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
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  9. Bradley, Simon (2022-10-17). "Mountaintop solar farms spark tensions in Switzerland". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  10. "Swiss voters say 'no' to solar parks in the Valais Alps". euronews. 2023-09-11. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  11. VSE, , 2020
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  15. SFOE, Swiss Federal Office of Energy. "Feed-in remuneration at cost". www.bfe.admin.ch. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  16. "National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Switzerland 2019" (PDF). International Energy Agency.
  17. "Schweizerische Statistik der erneuerbaren Energien" . Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  18. "Schweizerische Statistik der erneuerbaren Energien 2021 Vorabzug - Datentabellen" . Retrieved 2022-09-06.