The Swiss Federal Council has allocated CHF 470 million ($521 million) for solar rebates in 2021. Of the total amount, CHF 270 million will be for small systems with an output of less than 100 kW while the remaining amount will be for large systems exceeding 100 kW. The one-time remuneration covers around 20 per cent of the investment costs, depending on the system performance.
The Federal Office of Energy has also requested the agency Pronovo AG to develop a digital customer portal to simplify communication with the authorities. The platform is expected to make it easier for planners and installers to deal with the administrative work with Pronovo, the network operators, and the municipalities. Further, it also makes it possible to analyse whether municipalities are using the full extent of their existing photovoltaic potential.
Switzerland also aims to remove some legal hurdles for photovoltaics. For example, it was announced on July 1, 2021, that the planning approval requirement for energy generation systems that are connected to a low-voltage distribution network will be lifted. This would lead to PV systems being deployed more easily, cheaply, and quickly. Obtaining a restricted installation permit is also set to be simplified on July 1.
As per estimates by the International Renewable Energy Agency, Switzerland has an installed PV capacity of around 3.11 GW at the end of last year. In 2020, newly deployed PV systems reached a record figure of 529 MW.