Solar financing
Subsidies by cantonFrench-speaking Switzerland + Bernese Jura
Choose your canton to see Pronovo federal aid, verified cantonal benchmarks, the municipal trails and the careful order of the procedures.
Geneva
SIG
Total 8 kWp
Pronovo + SIG bonus if eligible, to be confirmed
Pronovo
Estimate to be confirmed via Pronovo tariff calculator
Cantonal landmark
SIG solar bonus 2026
25% of the federal PRU for 2 to <30 kWp
Can be combined with Pronovo
Vaud
Romande Energie
Total 8 kWp
Pronovo to be confirmed; separate common/renovation
Pronovo
Estimate to be confirmed via Pronovo tariff calculator
Cantonal landmark
No general cantonal PV subsidy
PV alone: Pronovo; renovation/heritage according to file
Can be combined with Pronovo
Valais
DSO depends on municipality
Total 8 kWp
Pronovo to be confirmed; separate local aid
Pronovo
Estimate to be confirmed via Pronovo tariff calculator
Cantonal landmark
No general cantonal PV subsidy
PV: Pronovo request
Can be combined with Pronovo
Neuchâtel
Viteos / local DSO
Total 8 kWp
PRU to be confirmed + local aid verified
Pronovo
Estimate to be confirmed via Pronovo tariff calculator
Cantonal landmark
NE batteries and large PV roofs
Battery: CHF 800 + CHF 80/kWh; large PV roofs: CHF 11 000
Can be combined with Pronovo
Fribourg
Groupe E
Total 8 kWp
Pronovo to be confirmed; separate local aid
Pronovo
Estimate to be confirmed via Pronovo tariff calculator
Cantonal landmark
No general cantonal PV subsidy
PV: Pronovo; separate thermal solar
Can be combined with Pronovo
Jura
DSO depends on municipality
Total 8 kWp
Pronovo to be confirmed; separate local aid
Pronovo
Estimate to be confirmed via Pronovo tariff calculator
Cantonal landmark
No general cantonal PV subsidy
PV: Pronovo
Can be combined with Pronovo
Berne
BKW
Total 8 kWp
Pronovo to be confirmed; separate local aid
Pronovo
Estimate to be confirmed via Pronovo tariff calculator
Cantonal landmark
No direct cantonal PV subsidy
PV: Pronovo; other measures according to project
Can be combined with Pronovo
Federal level
Unique Pronovo payment, generally finalized after commissioning for a small PV installation.
Cantonal level
Verified cantonal programs or positions: some cantons do not have direct PV aid.
Municipal level
Some municipalities add local aid, to be confirmed by address and by project.
Decision framework
A verifiable decision, not an isolated estimate
Before comparing solutions, clarify the project assumptions, their sources and dates, and the responsibilities involved. Use your bill, roof plan and written responses to check that each quote covers the same needs.
Start with a measurable question
Start your solar decision with building data. Record the address, building type, relevant area, energy use and desired result. When assessing cantonal solar grants in Switzerland, distinguish readings, written confirmations and assumptions. Compare gross and net amounts for the same scope; separate installed capacity from annual generation. Check grant conditions before deducting support from the budget. Prepare open questions for the installer, municipality, grid operator and insurer, identifying the record or measurement needed to answer each one.
Turn your bills into scenarios
Gather twelve months of bills if possible. Separate energy, network use, metering, taxes, levies and optional services. Include heating, hot water, EV charging and absences. An annual average can hide demand concentrated in mornings, evenings or winter. Compare conservative, central and favourable scenarios for a homeowner comparing federal grants, local programmes and tax treatment. Keep units, scope and tariff dates consistent so that differences reflect the options being compared.
Check the roof and surroundings
Orientation, slope, chimneys, dormers, trees, antennas, snow, access, ventilation and neighbouring buildings affect solar generation. Ask for an aerial image, a dimensioned roof plan and a seasonal shading assessment. Have the roof covering, possible asbestos, structural capacity and cable routes assessed before committing to system capacity. A simulation for cantonal solar grants in Switzerland should explain losses, show monthly generation and account for roof renovation or expansion before installation.
Compare quotes for the same scope
Three quotes are comparable only when they cover the same scope. Ask for the brand and exact model of each module, inverter, battery, protective device and mounting system. List scaffolding, distribution-board upgrades, grid connection, metering, applications, monitoring, maintenance, VAT and options separately. A lower price may exclude a service; a higher price may include a structural assessment or broader service terms. Identify who coordinates with the DSO and provides commissioning documents.
Check warranties and responsibilities
Product, performance and installation warranties, and insurance, cover different matters. Check duration, exclusions, beneficiary, claims procedure, response times and service arrangements if a manufacturer changes distributor. Keep invoices, serial numbers, photos, certificates, diagrams and handover records. The owner should retain access to the file documenting the dated official conditions, schedule, quote and proof of submission, even if the installer or project manager changes. Identify who addresses sizing errors, water ingress, communication faults or substantial differences between simulated and measured generation.
Compare the full cost
Include purchase, installation, applications, maintenance, remaining grid purchases, inverter replacement, possible roof work and surplus revenue. For a battery, consider usable capacity, losses, cycles, backup reserve, temperature, software and replacement. For a contract, check subscriptions, price changes, credit validity and exit terms. For a grant, consider eligibility and payment timing. Test whether the decision remains affordable if feed-in tariffs fall, consumption changes or the project is delayed.
Prepare for commissioning and handover
Before work starts, request a list of tests and documents to be provided. These may include insulation measurements, protective-device checks, grid settings, backup settings, connector checks, circuit labels, monitoring access and meter readings. An app displaying data does not replace a complete technical handover. Ask for safe shutdown instructions, a service contact and the circuit diagram. A dated handover record supports warranty claims and comparisons between expected and measured generation, bills and consumption.
Plan for future electricity use
A heat pump, water heater, EV, home working, extension, tenant change or renovation can alter a home’s electricity use. Include planned changes in the simulation. Check whether the inverter, distribution board, communications, available space and grid connection allow realistic expansion. An open system can be more useful than a larger system with limited compatibility. For a homeowner comparing federal grants, local programmes and tax treatment, assess how to avoid a second costly installation when needs change.
Keep the evidence organised
Keep annotated bills, plans, simulations, compared quotes, grant conditions, official applications, before-and-after photos, certificates, warranties and generation records in one file. Date each item because tariffs and programmes change. An undated screenshot cannot establish a contractual condition. Record the amount stated, the condition that applied and the person responsible. These records support budget checks, a future sale and discussions with the DSO, insurer or authorities.
Check the quote before signing
Before signing, check the description, address, owner, capacity, models, generation estimate, exclusions, prices, VAT, grants, schedule, handover, warranties and termination. Gather the relevant records: the dated official conditions, schedule, quote and proof of submission. Request written answers to unclear points and identify who will resolve them. Keep the final quote, data sheets and contract terms together. A promised saving or equipment brand cannot replace the scope of work, calculation assumptions and service arrangements.
Breaking down the Swiss aid landscape
Solar aid can combine several levels: federal contribution via Pronovo, cantonal program, municipal support, tax treatment, building program, heritage protection or local project. These levels are not automatically cumulative and do not always use the same definitions. Check separately ownership, type of building, new or existing construction, power, technology, date of application, start of work, commissioning and supporting documents. An overview without canton, municipality and date remains indicative. Record the official condition, deadline, link, version and relevant contact before including an amount in a quote.
Distinguish Confederation, canton and commune
Pronovo manages a federal instrument with its own forms and deadlines. A canton can add conditions related to building, renovation, power or aesthetics. A municipality may apply a limited budget, a filing period, a domicile condition or a specific local rule. Taxation follows yet another logic than a subsidy. Create a table with level, organization, objective, amount or method of calculation, request before or after work, required documents, payment date and possible reimbursement. If two programs cite the same item, ask in writing if they can be combined instead of adding the amounts.
Secure deadlines and supporting documents
A support schedule should include advice, roof inspection, quote, pre-request, authorization, order, installation, electrical inspection, commissioning, Pronovo application, final invoice, payment and tax declaration. Mark the conditions that must be met before work begins. Keep the form version, acknowledgment of receipt, reference, emails, requests for supplements and responses. Name photos, plans and invoices with date and address. Oral information is a clue, not a guarantee of payment. The applicant remains responsible even if the installer prepares the form. Allow time for a missing signature, an incorrect serial number, an illegible invoice or a request for additional information.
Do not confuse aid and profitability
Calculate three budgets: without assistance, with confirmed assistance, and with a conservative assumption if a condition is not met. Present separately gross investment, VAT, net investment, financing, maintenance, replacement, residual electricity and injection remuneration. A single contribution improves startup, but does not replace roof monitoring, network notification, or a realistic consumption forecast. For a battery, insulation, roof renovation, facade panels or a protected building, check precisely which item is eligible. Don't let an installer present unconfirmed help as a discount; show amount, requester, maturity and risk in the contract.
Keep a record for future evidence
A complete file contains address, owner, project description, plan, photos, components, power, diagram, authorizations, estimate, aid decision, payment receipts, commissioning report and production data. Add a short timeline with managers and deadlines. In the event of a sale, disaster, tax audit or repair, the new contact must quickly see what assistance has been granted, refused or remains open. After payment, check the conditions for document retention, use or reimbursement. This organization protects the budget, documents assumptions and avoids passing on an old indication as a current promise.
Transform the verification into a decision note
Write a final page with project address, program name, reference date, eligible person, expected amount, costs excluded, deadline, required supporting documents and competent body. Add three risks: the budget may change, the deadline may be missed, and the installation may be evaluated differently on a technical or regulatory level. Write down the next action, its date and who is responsible. In a subsequent exchange, everyone will immediately see what is confirmed, open or obsolete. This note avoids circulating a help link without context and transforms several programs into a verifiable decision for the housing concerned.
When several owners are concerned
In PPE, co-ownership, surface rights, rental or for a legal entity, it is necessary to define before the request who is authorized and to whom the installation, electricity, assistance and documents belong. Formalize vote, minutes, power of attorney, cost shares, access to the roof, insurance, maintenance and future sale. A municipality may request proof of ownership, authorization, extract from the land register or management agreement. For a rental property, examine consent, charges, metering and occupant information separately. The aid organization applies its regulations; an internal agreement does not replace its confirmation. So clarify early on which signature, which bank account and which final invoice should be transmitted.
Before clicking send
Reread the on-screen form and the PDF version with the same level of attention. Check canton, municipality, building number, type of owner, power, technology, amount excluding VAT, amount including VAT, filing date and person who will receive the decision. An attachment must be legible, complete and named; Avoid blurry photo, page turned, capture without URL or password protected document. Check that the bank account belongs to the beneficiary and that the final quote corresponds to the announced budget. Note the sending time, channel, reference, acknowledgment and any retention instructions. This last reading does not create a subsidy, but it prevents an administrative error from missing a deadline or triggering a request for a supplement.
Use this section with your invoice, roof plan and quotes. The final decision must remain linked to the official conditions, the actual connection and the written contract.