A fossil shock is never just “far from home”
In mid-March 2026, oil and gas markets reacted upwards after the escalation of the conflict involving Iran and tensions over Gulf maritime flows. For a Swiss household, this does not mean that the kWh from the network doubles the next day. But this means that imported raw materials become a concrete risk factor for heating, mobility and industrial costs.
Why Switzerland remains concerned
Switzerland is very electrified and benefits from hydraulics, but it remains highly dependent on energy imports in the broad sense. The federal administration recalls that approximately 80% of energy consumed in the country is imported. As long as oil, gas and part of European supplies set the level of energy risk, an external shock continues to concern you even if your roof is in French-speaking Switzerland or German-speaking Switzerland.
What producing yourself really changes
Installing solar does not eliminate all expense items. On the other hand, it replaces part of your variable purchases through local production, the cost of which is invested once then amortized over 25 years or more. You don't control the Strait of Hormuz, but you can control a share of your kWh. It's precisely this logic which makes solar more interesting when fossil markets become nervous.