immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Solaranlagen

  • Success for Suissetec in the EKS case

    Success for Suissetec in the EKS case

    For years, Suissetec has been committed to a “level playing field” between traditional consulting, planning and installation companies and energy service providers, which are increasingly active in the building technology market. In this specific case, EKS used customer data from the basic supply, i.e. from the monopoly sector, to advertise solar systems, an offer in the free market. This unlawful competitive advantage violates the Electricity Supply Act.

    Following a criminal complaint filed by Suissetec in 2017, two former EKS employees were finally convicted on March 31, 2025. Comparable proceedings against Repower and Groupe e also ended in guilty verdicts.

    Consistent separation of market areas
    The ruling makes it clear that the monopoly area of basic energy supply must remain strictly separated from the commercial activities of energy service providers, for example in building technology or solar installations. Companies are obliged to take organizational and technical precautions to ensure that there is no mixing.

    Although only employees and not the company itself were prosecuted in this specific case, the court emphasized that companies can also be liable to prosecution if they breach their duty of care.

    Signal effect for the industry
    For Suissetec, the third ruling in this case is a milestone. Director Christoph Schaer emphasizes: “The EKS case is now closed for us. At the same time, we expect this ruling to form the basis for competitive but fair competition between all market participants.”

    In this way, the association not only wants to prevent abuses, but also raise awareness among energy service providers, as important members of Suissetec, of the importance of clean dividing lines. The aim is constructive cooperation in the market that enables fair competition with clear rules.

  • AI solution optimises solar systems

    AI solution optimises solar systems

    SmartHelio has developed a predictive diagnostics solution for photovoltaic systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) and launched it on the market in early 2024. It bears the name Autopilot. Since then, this platform for controlling, operating and maintaining solar power plants has optimised the efficiency of 218 such systems with more than 2 gigawatt peak, according to the manufacturer. Their output has been increased by an average of 8 per cent.

    According to the information provided, the plug-in system with more than 50 proprietary algorithms delivers 95 per cent accuracy from day one in detecting faults before they affect performance. According to SmartHelio, the one-time diagnostics process identifies remediable energy losses of up to 7 per cent on average. Data quality is improved by over 98 per cent.

    The service life is increased by eight years, solar energy production by 10 per cent and the return on investment by up to 600 per cent. Above all, Autopilot significantly reduces diagnosis times, says CEO and founder Govinda Upadhyay: “From 358 hours to just 3 hours – the technology is helping us to redefine diagnosis and save solar plant operators time.” The company plans to expand the areas of application to battery storage and energy trading, thereby driving forward the energy transition worldwide.

    SmartHelio is a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne based in the canton of Vaud and operates a branch office in Uttar Pradesh, India. The company, which was founded in 2019, will be presenting its technology at the World Future Energy Summitfrom 14 to 16 January 2025. It will be one of eight exhibitors in the SWISS Pavilion as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

  • Sursee makes solar systems and green roofs standard

    Sursee makes solar systems and green roofs standard

    In future, the roofs of new buildings or roof renovations in the municipality of Sursee are to be fitted with solar panels. For flat roofs, the aim is also to green them. This was decided by the Sursee municipal council on 14 October with the majority approval of a counter-proposal to the municipal initiative for an independent and ecological energy supply (solar initiative). The initiative committee had withdrawn the solar initiative after the city council had drafted the counter-proposal.

    The counter-proposal is in line with the new cantonal energy law, which will come into force on 1 March 2025, subject to a referendum. New buildings will then have to be equipped with 60 per cent solar panels, and 30 per cent for roof renovations. If the requirements are not met, a replacement levy of CHF 1,000 per kilowatt will be due. In deviation from cantonal law, this levy will only be possible in Sursee if the construction and operation of the solar system is economically unreasonable.

    The new cantonal energy law does not specify any requirements for the greening of roofs. However, Sursee wants to use green roofs to improve the urban climate and as a substitute habitat for plants and animals. For this reason, a combination of green roofs and solar panels is being sought as standard on flat roofs.

    The solar utilisation of façades called for in the solar initiative is not provided for in the counter-proposal. The city council feared that this would have a negative impact on the townscape. In addition, the cost-benefit ratio of façade systems is currently even worse than that of roof systems.

  • New grid platform facilitates self-consumption of solar power and battery storage

    New grid platform facilitates self-consumption of solar power and battery storage

    According to a press release,Evaarist is launching a grid platform “for the democratisation of energy self-sufficiency”. The Sion-based start-up wants to enable more owners of existing solar installations to consume more of their solar production themselves. In addition to the autarcie.ch platform for controlling solar power from the roof, Evaarist also offers easy-to-install battery packs.

    “Energy self-sufficiency is something that is close to our hearts,” says Loïc Viret. He founded Evaarist 2023 with Julien Morard and Stéphane Curchod. The engineering firm specialises in renewable energies and energy self-sufficiency and launched the autarcie.ch platform as part of the Espace Innothèque at the Foire du Valais 2024, according to the press release.

    Evaarist’s considerations were based on the observation that almost 98 per cent of the 240,000 or so existing solar installations in Switzerland are not equipped with batteries. Evaarist offers universal battery systems for solar roofs. A battery pack is installed in parallel with the electricity grid, the solar modules and the existing inverters. “This will make it possible to store and work with additional energy. And above all, the degree of self-sufficiency can be increased to 65 to 85 per cent, compared to 20 to 30 per cent without batteries,” Viret is quoted as saying.

    Furthermore, Evaarist wants to bring the material directly from the manufacturer to the customer and the installation will largely be carried out as a “do it yourself” project. Thanks to an agreement with a German importer, autarcie.ch offers battery packs from CHF 5800 for 10 kilowatt hours.

    Autarcie.ch is not an anti-blackout system. “But our systems can be equipped to work if the grid fails,” Viret is quoted as saying.

  • Canton of Zurich wants to make solar systems mandatory on large roofs

    Canton of Zurich wants to make solar systems mandatory on large roofs

    “To ensure a secure electricity supply in Switzerland and to achieve the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, electricity production from local renewable energies must be rapidly and significantly expanded,” says the State Chancellery of the Canton of Zurich in a press release on a planned partial revision of the Energy Act. Specifically, the canton of Zurich wants to make the installation of solar systems on suitable roofs with an area of 300 square metres or more mandatory. The canton estimates that this would allow around 60 per cent of a total annual potential of 6 terawatt hours of solar power from roofs to be exploited.

    The installation of solar systems on large roofs should be mandatory for both new and existing buildings. Existing buildings may be retrofitted when the roof is renovated, but by 2040 at the latest. The requirement should also only apply “if the solar installation is economical over its entire service life”. The corresponding bill has been submitted for consultation until the end of November.

    In addition to the obligation for solar systems, the partial revision provides for the promotion of technologies for seasonal energy storage. This is to be funded by a subsidy fund managed by the electricity grid operators, which will be financed by a levy of a maximum of 0.5 centimes per kilowatt hour of electricity. Competitive tenders are planned, from which projects with the most winter electricity per subsidised franc will benefit, as well as support for seasonal storage technologies that are still under development.

  • Expansion of solar installations in Zurich

    Expansion of solar installations in Zurich

    ewz, the energy supplier to the city of Zurich, is pressing ahead with its expansion of solar installations. As detailed in a press release, the company has published 14 new locations on its website in which citizens can participate. For CHF 250 per square metre, you can acquire a stake in the additional 11,000 square metres. Participants receive 80 kilowatt hours of Zurich solar power per year on their ewz bill. With the areas now connected, ewz now has 55 solar installations in the city of Zurich. The newly added areas are expected to produce 1,246,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. This corresponds to the electricity consumption of 500 average households.

    “With the solar strategy, we in the city of Zurich have the ambitious goal of producing more solar power,” said City Councillor Michael Baumer, Head of Industrial Operations, in the press release. “I have therefore taken the opportunity to acquire a solar stake myself. Only together can we make Zurich a solar city – every square metre counts!”

    Ewz also offers homeowners solar solutions for their own roofs. For example, 950 solar modules will be installed on four residential buildings in Guggach by July. The system is expected to produce 423,000 kilowatt hours and supply the 197 households with solar power.

  • EWN dispenses with alpine solar plants

    EWN dispenses with alpine solar plants

    The Nidwalden cantonal electricity utility(EWN) has examined a total of six sites in its supply area for their suitability for the construction of alpine solar plants. In a first step, two sites were assessed as suitable in principle.

    However, extensive investigations revealed that the steepness of the terrain at both sites posed particular challenges for the construction and financing of the plants, EWN writes in a press release. EWN refers to the pressure of the snow, avalanches, landslides and possible rockfalls. Possible protective measures would have been so expensive that the plants would no longer have been economically viable.

    EWN has therefore decided not to pursue the two projects for the time being. Should the general conditions change, they could be reactivated.

    Among other things, EWN operates the Dallenwil hydropower plant and a solar plant on the Stans country park. It also holds a stake in Repartner Produktions AG, a joint venture between Repower and other regional energy suppliers for joint participation in renewable energy projects.

  • Valais rejects simplified approval of large solar installations

    Valais rejects simplified approval of large solar installations

    Voters in the Canton of Valais have rejected a simplification and acceleration of the cantonal approval procedure for large photovoltaic plants. In the cantonal vote on 10 September, a decree to this effect was rejected by 53.94 percent of those who voted, the State Council of the Canton of Val ais informs in a statement. It “takes note of this result”.

    The decree, which had already been approved by the Grand Council, provided, among other things, for a more concentrated approval procedure and the transfer of the approval authority from the cantonal building commission to the State Council. Complaints against a permit could thus have been lodged with the cantonal court without a diversion. After the rejection of the decree in the cantonal referendum, the previous cantonal procedure remains in force. Permits will continue to be the responsibility of the building commission. Appeals must first be lodged with the State Council. In the second and third instance, the cantonal court and the federal court have a role to play.

    By simplifying the cantonal procedure, the State Council wanted to support the implementation of the new Article 71a in the national energy law. It is aimed at the increased construction of large photovoltaic plants. The corresponding federal law remains unaffected by the result of the cantonal vote. Among other things, the conditions for the approval of large photovoltaic plants are regulated there.

  • Alpine solar plant planned at the Madrisa mountain railway

    Alpine solar plant planned at the Madrisa mountain railway

    The planned Madrisasolar alpine solar plant would be located at around 2000 metres above sea level and would cover an area of around 150,000 square metres when completed. The approximately 30,000 modules would all face south and, with a production capacity of 12 MW, would deliver an average annual output of probably over 17 GWh. This amount of electricity could supply around 3,500 households.

    The yield of solar electricity, especially in the important winter months, is particularly high at this location. And the electricity is produced where it is partly needed. The consumption and production profiles of the mountain railway and Madrisasolar are an ideal match, so that the Madrisa mountain railway could be powered entirely by solar electricity. The production of locally generated, renewable energy is an important issue for Klosters-Madrisa Bergbahnen AG and Madrisasolar would be a big step towards more sustainability on the mountain. In addition, the plant would also cover local and regional needs.

    Area with existing infrastructure and use
    Madrisasolar would be located in an area with existing infrastructure and use. An environmental impact assessment is currently being carried out. The landowner of the site is the political municipality of Klosters; the right of use currently lies with the alpine cooperative. The owner and operator of Madrisasolar would be the Graubünden energy provider Repower AG, while Fanzun AG would be responsible for the technical project management. The participation of the municipality and the further framework conditions are currently still being examined and worked out.

    The Klosters municipal council and Klosters-Madrisa Bergbahnen AG support the project. All parties involved consider the addition of production facilities for renewable energies to be imperative and judge the planned location to be possible and well compatible from an environmental, landscape and tourism point of view. In the light of the Energy City label, a corresponding production plant also fits in perfectly with the energy strategy of the municipality of Klosters. There are still a number of political and technical hurdles to overcome before the licensing procedure can be initiated. In addition to the municipal parliament and the electorate, the civic assembly is also responsible for the progress of this large-scale plant. A public information event on the project is planned for August 2023. The vote is planned for 22 October 2023.

  • Migros invests single-digit million sum in solar start-up Rayo

    Migros invests single-digit million sum in solar start-up Rayo

    Zurich-based Migros is investing in the Zurich start-up Rayo. To this end, the retail group is pouring capital in the single-digit millions into the start-up via Sparrow Ventures, a Migros subsidiary and growth capital provider, and Migrol AG, also part of the Migros Group, according to a media release.

    Rayo wants to make solar energy more accessible by renting out solar systems in a subscription model. This way, owners have no initial costs. Instead, owners pay “a fixed monthly amount for 20 years for their individual solar solution”. The price includes the photovoltaic system as well as all services from clarifications, planning, installation, maintenance and repairs to insurance and a smart home app.

    There is interest in sustainable, individual solar solutions and energy self-sufficiency. Nevertheless, according to the data, only about one in ten single-family homes in Switzerland has solar panels on the roof. This is low by European standards. According to a media release, Lorenz Lüchinger, CEO of Sparrow Ventures, believes that the reason for the reluctance to install solar panels on one’s own house is the initial costs and the administrative effort.

    It is precisely this gap that Rayo wants to close “and offer a solar solution with which the Swiss population can reduce their electricity costs and at the same time improve their ecological footprint”, Andreas Flütsch, CEO of Migrol, is quoted as saying.

    Rayo subscribers can also order a battery storage system for surplus solar power in addition to their solar package. Rayo also provides charging stations for electric vehicles, using synergies with Migrol and the Migros Group. Migrol, headquartered in Adliswil ZH, operates filling stations, charging stations and car repair shops, among other things.

  • Solar module return rate is close to 100 per cent

    Solar module return rate is close to 100 per cent

    Photovoltaic modules installed in Switzerland are almost all recycled at the end of their service life, informs SENS eRecycling in a press release. The foundation, which is organised in the private sector, relieves its partners at manufacturers and importers of the associated work. According to SENS eRecycling, this system benefits manufacturers, importers, homeowners and the environment.

    The price of a solar system already includes an advance recycling fee. This is currently 40 francs per tonne, explains SENS eRecycling. However, the foundation itself currently spends around 440 francs per tonne on collection, transport and recycling. “The financing of the system only works because the current quantities of installed photovoltaic systems still significantly exceed the quantity of discarded material and thus the fund continues to accumulate from year to year,” the statement says. For 2035, SENS eRecycling expects to have to dispose of 70,000 tonnes of photovoltaic modules.

    According to the foundation, the current quantities are too small to make recycling worthwhile for disposal companies in Switzerland. SENS eRecycling is therefore currently working with KWB Plan Real GmbH. The German company has the modules dismantled at a recycling plant near the Swiss border. Metals can be completely recycled, and the glass is used together with the silicon to produce glass wool. In this way, around three quarters of the raw materials can currently be returned to the cycle, according to SENS eRecycling.

  • The forgotten solar hot water systems

    The forgotten solar hot water systems

    In Switzerland, about 6% of all apartment buildings have a solar hot water system (solar thermal) in operation. These are used to heat hot water in order to reduce the consumption of oil and gas. Most of these systems were installed about 10 years ago, when photovoltaics were much more expensive. However, in recent years they have been forgotten. Many owners and administrators discover the installations only by chance through a view of the property on Google Maps, when they analyse the roof for photovoltaic suitability.

    On average, solar hot water systems have 20 years of operation ahead of them, during which they can generate CO2-free heat and also significantly reduce utility costs thanks to fossil energy savings. Because nobody knows about the existence of many installations, one in five is defective. This means valuable solar heat is being wasted and fossil fuel heating systems are having to step in instead.

    Several cantons have already recognised the problem and launched awareness campaigns to make owners, caretakers and administrators aware of the issue. The free solartest.ch platform has been created for this purpose in collaboration with Energie Schweiz and Swissolar. This allows users to check whether their system is running correctly by simply entering the temperature values they have read.

    To avoid having to read the temperature values every week, Energie Zukunft Schweiz has developed the LORALARM monitoring system, which can be retrofitted.

    As part of a project with a large Swiss insurance group, 65 existing solar hot water systems were monitored, of which a total of 15 systems were found to be out of order. Minor repairs enabled systems worth CHF 1.5 million to be put back into operation within a very short time.
    The good time to find out if your solar thermal system is running is on a sunny winter’s day. This ensures that the defect will be producing sun-warmed water again by the time of the productive spring days from the beginning of March, after any repairs have been carried out.

  • Home2050.ch now advises on solar, heating and e-charging stations

    Home2050.ch now advises on solar, heating and e-charging stations

    The Basel-based energy supplier Primeo Energie , the Elektra Baselland cooperative ( EBL ) and the Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank ( BLKB ) have transformed their joint solar advice platform sun2050.ch into home2050.ch . According to apress release , they are reacting to the fact that their customers' requests for advice are increasingly going beyond the optimal photovoltaic solution for their property.

    That's why the range of advice on home2050.ch now also includes questions about heating replacements and your own e-charging stations. As before, homeowners receive free reference offers for photovoltaic systems on the newly designed website and can then register for a fee-based individual consultation. BLKB continues to support interested parties with a specially created energy mortgage.

    According to EBL CEO Tobias Andrist, the energy transition can only succeed in cooperation with the population. The three partners therefore want to "generate real added value" for their customers by "with the cooperation home 2050.ch we offer a simple and effective solution for the procurement of your solar system, your new heating system or your new e-charging station".

  • Climate neutral by 2050

    Climate neutral by 2050

    Many homeowners cannot afford a renovation. Long-term loans are now intended to support builders who want to make their property climate-friendly but do not have sufficient financial resources or prefer to invest their money in their core business. At least that's what the state wants. Whether and how this can be done remains questionable. Because the financial institutions intended for this, such as banks and insurance companies, are hardly interested in loans with terms of more than 30 years. The federal government therefore wants to act as a security guarantor. A pilot project in Berne is now to examine whether this financing idea is realistic.

    The Zuger Energeek Group AG proposes another way. "With Energeek®, the solar panel with rental for you", she gets people to invest in solar energy, whether they own real estate or not. Energeek provides the solar panels and the real estate projects. Anyone who wants to invest can buy one or more panels online and then rent them out to a project company. Upon purchase, the buyer also benefits immediately from the one-time payment (EIV), the federal subsidy for solar systems. The panels acquired will be integrated into a larger panel network that generates electricity sustainably; the buyer of these panels thus becomes a producer of electricity through renewable energy with the right to rental income. A minimum rental price is guaranteed when the contract is signed. However, upward rent adjustments are possible at any time. For example, when the price of electricity rises with inflation. The purchased solar panels can also be resold, inherited or given away at any time together with the rental agreement and the associated rental income.

    Another big advantage: so that solar panels and the projects work very efficiently, solar trackers are used whenever possible and in addition to the permanently installed PV area. With these, the panels are not permanently installed, but rotate according to the sun. This means that, for example, the morning and evening sun is also optimally used. Or discover the smallest gap in the cloud on a cloudy day and use it to generate electricity. This achieves an increase in production of an additional + 63% kWh on average. This in comparison to permanently installed solar panels.

    Energeek Group AG presents the projects for which solar panels can be purchased on its website. The buyer can decide for himself which project the acquired panels should be rented to. For example, a project on a horse farm and hotel in the Freiberge is currently on offer. There, the group, together with its certified partners, will set up photovoltaic systems on a planned area of 1,590 square meters and thus supply the hotel building infrastructure, neighbors, heat pumps and e-charging station(s) with electricity. A panel in this project currently costs a little more than CHF 900, the annual rental income is CHF 82.50. A respectable return.
    More information at www.energeek.biz

  • Innovation from Studer Innotec enables solar self-sufficiency

    Innovation from Studer Innotec enables solar self-sufficiency

    According to Studer Innotec , the next 3 is the world’s first intelligent inverter charger for private or company-owned photovoltaic systems. It represents “the future of self-consumption” and enables “full energy self-sufficiency” for everyone. With their own charging stations for battery-powered cars, electromobility will become cheaper solar mobility, according to Studer’s website. In addition, neighborhood microgrids, so-called mini-grids, would also be possible in remote rural areas. “With the next3, we are ready to play a very active role in the energy transition,” says Studer Innotec on its website.

    The next3 allows complete control over the production, storage and distribution of its electrical energy. In addition, it can operate with the public power grid, according to a media release. It is therefore suitable for grid-independent (off-grid), grid-dependent (on-grid) and hybrid systems. Installation and wiring is easy. The company also explains further technical specifications in a video .

    “This new approach completely breaks through the previously known technical and economic limits,” says Studer Innotec. “It’s disruptive.” By turning your own living space or business building into a self-sufficient system, you contribute to a stable power supply, protect yourself against price fluctuations and ensure that your electric vehicle or company car fleet is charged every day.

  • Basel area relies on solar power from the roof

    Basel area relies on solar power from the roof

    The canton of Basel-Landschaft is going on the solar power offensive. The canton's own buildings will be equipped with photovoltaic systems, the canton administration informs in a message . So far, 2177 modules with an area of almost 3900 square meters have been installed on the roofs of the secondary schools in Hinterzweien in Muttenz, Gerenmatt in Arlesheim, Laufental in Laufen, Lärchen in Münchenstein and Rheinpark in Birsfelden as well as the Werkhof Kreis 3 in Sissach and the new technical college in Muttenz been. They can generate around 800,000 kilowatt hours of solar power a year. This means that the electricity requirements of the respective location can be completely covered, writes the cantonal administration.

    According to the announcement, further plants are already being planned. "The canton's largest photovoltaic system in the future" is to be tackled shortly. It is being built on the new building of the Augusta Raurica Collection Center in Augst. More than 400 modules are planned here, which could deliver around 450,000 kilowatt hours of solar power a year. The plans also include systems on the roofs of the Tannenbrunn secondary schools in Sissach and Frenke in Liestal and the Arxhof action center in Niederdorf.

    The building authority is following the instructions of the district administrator with the solar offensive, it says in the message. According to them, the canton should "on the one hand be a role model for other investors and on the other hand cover the growing demand in schools and other buildings with as much self-produced solar power as possible". The district administrator provides the funds for the investments via building loans and as part of the investment program.

  • AMAG Winterthur puts new solar system into operation

    AMAG Winterthur puts new solar system into operation

    The AMAG Group has put a new photovoltaic system into operation at its Winterthur location, informs the automotive trading group for all brands of the Volkswagen Group in a message . The system built by Helion with an output of around 157 kilowatts peak was installed on the roof of the AMAG building for Volkswagen and VW commercial vehicles. The group intends to use around 60 to 65 percent of the approximately 158 megawatt hours of solar power expected annually.

    “With the solar energy obtained from the photovoltaic system, we can cover around 60 percent of our electricity requirements at the Zürcherstrasse 312 location in Winterthur,” Martin Zgraggen, Managing Director of AMAG Winterthur, is quoted in the press release. “The increasing number of electric vehicles means that more electricity is required, which the new solar system supplies us.”

    The AMAG buildings for the Audi and Skoda brands in Winterthur were equipped with a solar system back in 2013, the press release explains. The group had the first photovoltaic system installed on the roof of its central spare parts warehouse in Buchs ZH in 2008. In the current year, in addition to the new system in Winterthur, two further solar systems were installed in Wettswil am Albis ZH and in Basel.

    The automobile trading group with its headquarters in Cham ZG wants to be completely climate-neutral by 2025. To this end, solar systems are to be installed on an area of around 50,000 square meters by 2024. The group is looking into a deployment for a further 100,000 square meters of space at AMAG locations.

  • Deutsche Ökobank relies on Meyer Burger

    Deutsche Ökobank relies on Meyer Burger

    The GLS Bank from Germany relies on Meyer Burger for its offer of a package for the expansion of solar systems. The cooperative bank, which operates according to socio-ecological principles, wants to promote the expansion of photovoltaic systems in the commercial and public sectors. To this end, the bank has launched a so-called carefree photovoltaic package for corporate customers. In addition to financing, it includes a number of other services.

    As part of the package, the GLS Bank decided in favor of Meyer Burger as a cooperation partner for photovoltaic modules, the solar company from Thun informs in a message . “We have high demands on our products and our production in terms of environmental and resource conservation as well as social factors”, Katja Tavernaro is quoted there. “Our high-performance solar modules are a good example of a successful relationship between sustainability and economy,” says the Chief Sustainability Officer at Meyer Burger Technology AG. Concretely, Tavernaro leads a reduced use of material and energy, the renunciation of toxic ingredients, the production exclusively with electricity from renewable energies and the observance of social standards in the supply chains.

    This is in line with the goals of the GLS Bank: “We don’t just want to get photovoltaics on the roof, we also ask questions about the quality and sustainability of the modules,” explains bank representative Michael Orth.

  • ewz involves citizens in further solar systems

    ewz involves citizens in further solar systems

    ewz offers people who want to actively participate in the energy transition the opportunity to acquire stakes in photovoltaic systems. This type of crowd financing enables the construction of new systems, for example on school roofs. According to a press release , ewz is offering a total of 4,000 square meters of new space for this purpose.

    Of this, 1,100 square meters of photovoltaic area are now available on the Falletsche municipal school building in Leimbach. The Rebhügel school buildings in Wiedikon, Kolbenacker in Seebach and Mattenhof in Schwamendingen will go online in the course of the year. A maximum of ten square meters of participation at CHF 250 per household can be purchased on the Internet. In return, customers receive 80 kilowatt hours of sustainably produced solar power from Zurich per square meter of participation credited to their electricity bills.

    The last square meters of participation are still available for the first large-scale high-alpine solar system in Switzerland, which has already been completed on the ewz dam in Graubünden's Bergell. Because the yield is more than twice as high as in the Unterland, both the participation price and the credit are higher there.

  • AEW takes a stake in the Aargau energy start-up

    AEW takes a stake in the Aargau energy start-up

    AEW Energie AG has entered into a strategic partnership with Virtual Global Trading , according to a media release . It will gradually acquire a stake of up to 35 percent in the start-up company based in Aarau.

    With eNet, Virtual Global Trading has developed a digital trading platform for the energy sector. It offers customers of energy suppliers various business models. For example, companies can present offers for battery storage or solar systems on the platform. These can then be used by private individuals – the customers of energy suppliers.

    The platform uses the daily updated data from the network operator's intelligent meters. The traded and processed energy data are automatically compared with the systems of the distribution network operator. When the platform registers a new smart meter, it creates a one-time token. Thanks to this token system developed and patented by Virtual Global Trading, the proof of origin of the energy is provided. Overall, the platform also enables all participants to react quickly to market developments.

    Together with the Liechtenstein power plants ( LKW ), the start-up is already implementing its system in Liechtenstein. The use of the platform there is also intended to serve as a model for other regions. The goal now is to roll out eNet continuously in Switzerland and Europe.

    “With our involvement in the start-up company, we are securing market experience from neighboring countries, where the regulation and liberalization of the electricity market are well advanced. We want to use this experience for our preparation for the complete liberalization of the electricity market ”, said Marc Ritter, Head of the Energy Business Unit at AEW, in an AEW announcement . Together with the start-up, AEW also wants to develop new market models for Switzerland.

  • Repower brings the largest Engadine solar system to the grid

    Repower brings the largest Engadine solar system to the grid

    A new wastewater treatment plant is being built in S-chanf. The Upper Engadine ARA is scheduled to start operations in mid-2021. Repower has installed a solar system with an area of 5800 square meters and 3447 solar modules on the roof of the system. The plant has an output of 1.1 megawatts and an expected annual output of 1.45 gigawatt hours. That corresponds to the consumption of 325 households, writes the Graubünden energy supplier in a press release . The system was designed in such a way that it can withstand heavy snowfall. The modules themselves have a total weight of 69 tons.

    The system has now been put into operation. Repower has invested 1.7 million francs.

    The ARA itself is operated with a combined heat and power unit. This means that electricity consumption on site can be optimized with the aim of using as much solar power as possible on site.

  • Groupe E offers solar systems without investment

    Groupe E offers solar systems without investment

    Property owners in western Switzerland have the option of having solar systems installed on their roofs without having to invest. With My Sun Contracting, Groupe E is launching a product in which the Freiburg energy supplier takes over all investments as well as the other expenses.

    According to a statement from Groupe E, customers only pay for the generation of the solar electricity they use themselves. The electricity price is degressive: the more the customers consume, the lower the tariff. Customers can also buy the system on their roof later, for example if they want to benefit from tax advantages.