forward with the
expansion of PV
in Zurich and throughout Switzerland.
PV systems have to be safely integrated into ewz’s electricity distribution grid in accordance with the applicable regulations. PV inverters have internal grid and system protection (GS protection). Previously, additional external GS protection was required for systems above a certain size. At the initiative of and in collaboration with ewz experts, the industry (VSE, VSEK, Swissolar, Swissgrid (in German) and other distribution network operators) joined forces in an SFOE project to investigate whether additional external GS protection was still needed for PV system inverters.
In short, if the inverter itself has internal GS protection, no additional external GS protection is required. This makes it easier and cheaper to construct PV systems.
ewz has decided to implement this immediately with a transitional solution. Can be applied retrospectively to installation notifications not yet approved.
Further information for solar, electrical installation and electrical planning companies
Until the industry recommendation is revised, the following interim rule applies to grid-following inverters in ewz’s low-voltage grid:
- If the inverters have internal GS protection with an integrated coupling switch that complies with standards, there is no need to use additional external GS protection for grid-following inverters. Grid-following inverters are systems that are electrically disconnected from the grid in the event of a permanent loss of voltage (grid failure) and are not capable of operating under emergency power.
- Internal GS protection must always be active and the settings must correspond to the Swiss national settings in accordance with VSE industry recommendation NA/EEA-NE7 – CH 2020.
For all other power generation plants, the 2020 industry recommendation NA/EEA-NE7 – CH will remain valid until the publication of the revised edition.
Section 10.1 of the document ‘Special provisions at ewz’, which is binding for electricians and inspection companies and is available on the ewz website, will be amended accordingly at a later date.
The future of energy production is renewable. And even if you don’t need your own solar power, you can participate in the expansion of photovoltaics: as someone who rents out space for our PV systems. Let us use your unused space to operate a PV system. We offer you an attractive rent for your space for the entire period of use. No effort, no investment, no risk.
With its new solar contracting, ewz is offering owners with spaces of 500 m2 or more an all-inclusive package. You make your roof available to us and benefit from a complete solution tailored to your needs – whether it’s an on-roof, in-roof or façade system. The shared goal is maximum energy production, stable and attractive solar power prices for local consumption, and the utilisation of residual electricity by ewz.
In residential properties in the city of Zurich, an average of 60% of the solar power produced is used in the building itself. This is extremely beneficial, both environmentally and economically. ewz will pay CHF 0.13/kWh for your excess solar power: an average of CHF 0.08/kWh for pure electricity (also known as grey electricity) and an additional CHF 0.05/kWh for the certificate of origin.
Together with the new subsidies, our offer creates very attractive conditions for property owners. Higher rebate amounts would give solar power producers a clear advantage over tenants and customers in the basic supply system as the costs of the surplus electricity have to be factored into the electricity tariffs.
The new funding concept is intended to simplify funding approaches and increase the funding impact with additional incentives. Since 1 February 2023, municipal funding has consisted of a basic contribution of CHF 4,400 and a component based on the output of the system of between CHF 300 and CHF 420 kW.
Owners of existing properties often refrain from building a PV system due to the high additional costs involved. The city of Zurich’s PV strategy laid out specific obstacles and the new funding was geared towards addressing them. ewz will provide additional funding from climate and energy policy objectives for:
- structural reinforcement of roofs
- asbestos removal
- upgrading building connections
- assessments relating to the preservation of listed buildings in the ISOS A inventory
- combining photovoltaics with roof greening
- special orientation of module surfaces for winter power production
Details on the new funding instruments (in German)
- Alongside hydroelectric power and wind, photovoltaic is the third pillar of the ewz production portfolio. ewz’s long-term goal is to increase the output of its own PV systems from 23.6 megawatts peak (2022) to 255 megawatts peak by 2030. The systems will be erected on residential buildings, industrial, commercial and infrastructure areas as well as high alpine regions in the supply area.
- ewz owns 141 photovoltaic systems with a total area of around 24 football pitches, an output of 20.6 megawatts peak and an annual production of 14.9 million kilowatt hours (2022). For ALDI SUISSE, for example, ewz installed photovoltaic systems with around 45,000 modules on the roofs of 59 locations between Romanshorn and Geneva, producing around 14 million kilowatt hours of clean solar power.
- Over the next few years, ewz is planning to install solar panels with a peak output of around 1.8 megawatts with an investment of around CHF 3.5 million on around 20 of its own buildings – including the headquarters in Oerlikon and the Herdern operations building, which will be completely converted by about 2026.
- On behalf of customers, ewz has designed and implemented hundreds of PV systems on single-family houses and apartment buildings as well as industrial roofs across Switzerland. For watchmaker Vacheron Constantin, we perfectly integrated 2,000 m2 of solar panels into the spectacular architecture and were awarded the Solar Prize in 2018.
- Further examples of how property owners can combine economic and economic benefits with PV systems from ewz.
- 44 systems on municipal buildings with more than 40,000 m2 of solar panels have been made possible by approximately 7,900 residents since 2014 through the successful ewz.solarzüri investment model. Further locations are in the works.
- In 2020, ewz built Switzerland’s first large-scale high-alpine solar plant (in German) on the dam crest of Lake Albigna in Bregaglia (see the 10-vor-10 piece from 10 August 2020). The second project on the Valle di Lei dam (in German) followed in 2022. Both are important pioneering projects for covering winter power shortfalls. More projects are in the planning stage.
- Customers in the ewz supply area of the city of Zurich and parts of the Grisons were able to invest in the showcase projects on the Albigna and Valle di Lei dams through ewz.solargrischun.
- The ewz energy efficiency consulting service has been advising private individuals and SMEs in the supply area for 30 years. One focus is PV systems and funding.
- SunTechnics Fabrisolar AG (in German) is a subsidiary of ewz and implements projects for customers throughout Switzerland.
Renting out space for PV systems
Let us use your unused space, at any location in Switzerland, for a PV installation and receive an attractive rent from us.
Solar solutions for property owners
We work with property owners to develop and implement customised solar solutions throughout Switzerland for complexes, businesses and public-sector properties. The ewz solar calculator gives you a quick overview. For property portfolios, we also offer comprehensive analyses for phased implementation.
Solar contracting in the city of Zurich
With our full-service solar contracting package, you can focus on your core business as the owner. We make sure that you can make the best possible use of your properties to produce solar power. Together, we are making an active contribution to the energy transition in Switzerland.
Enjoy the shared benefits of solar power from your own roof
With ewz.eigenverbrauch, we support your self-consumption association (ZEV) – from installation of the PV plant to optimising self-consumption of your solar power. You can take advantage of this offer even if you already have a PV system.
Get it. We operate solar panels on public buildings and on dam walls. With ewz.solarzüri or ewz.solargrischun, you can order the desired square metres, the sun provides you with electricity and it is credited to your electricity bill.
High-alpine plants for more winter electricity
In addition to the two existing facilities in Albigna and Lago di Lei, ewz is planning further projects (in German) in high alpine regions.
More additional revenue with direct marketing
As a company with its own power system, you have the option of selling your surplus electricity. We can show you how to use direct marketing to maximise your revenue.
In September 2021, the city of Zurich’s photovoltaic strategy (in German) was presented by City Councillor Michael Baumer (Head of Public Utilities) and ewz Director Benedikt Loepfe. By 2030, solar power production in the city of Zurich is to be quadrupled to around 120 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year. Production is to be increased to 300 GWh per year by 2040. Production from municipal properties is to be increased fivefold to 20 GWh per year. Specific measures have been defined to ensure that the objectives are met. Initial measures have already been implemented with the expansion of funding and the new PV contracting for the real estate industry.
This article in the ewz magazine for a sustainable energy future, powernewz.ch (in German), highlights where more solar power capacity can be added in Zurich and where there may still be limits.
Many tenants want to use local solar power, but are unable to build a system themselves. With the ewz.solarzüri citizen investment model developed by ewz back in 2014, they too can help the environment and promote expansion.
One-time investment from CHF 250/m2
Benefit for 20 years
Receive annual credit on yearly bill amounting to at least 80 kWh (energy supply component)
Thousands of Zurich residents now call more than 40,000 m2 of solar panels on 44 systems ‘their own’. Every year, ewz plans and implements new systems on buildings belonging to Immobilien Stadt Zürich (in German) and residential and commercial properties belonging to Liegenschaften Stadt Zürich (in German). Electricity that is not used locally in school buildings, hospitals, sports facilities and residential and commercial properties is offered via solarzüri and is usually sold out within a very short period of time. The city of Zurich’s PV strategy creates the framework conditions for continuously tapping the city’s rooftop potential and significantly expanding capacity. This is being done in close coordination with planned new buildings and renovations, as in the case of the Glaubten residential development in Zurich-Affoltern with 2,000 m2 and around 216,000 kWh of solar power produced annually.
The first high-alpine solar plant on a dam in Switzerland was built back in summer 2020 and successfully marketed under the ewz.solargrischun citizen investment model. With the plant at ewz’s own Albigna dam in Val Bregaglia, we are demonstrating that around half of solar power can be generated in winter. In addition, electricity production is 25% higher than that of a comparable plant in the Unterland region. In this way, ewz is contributing to the winter electricity supply. A second facility at the Lago di Lei dam followed in 2022 (video). Key factors contributing to the high electricity yield include
longer sunshine duration thanks to less fog
cooler average panel temperatures
albedo effect = due to the reflection of snow and ice
In addition to the two existing facilities in Albigna and Lago di Lei, ewz is planning further projects (in German) in high alpine regions.
ALDI SUISSE carried out what is probably the most ambitious and also one of the largest solar energy projects in Switzerland: in just over a year, 59 roofs between Romanshorn and Geneva were fitted with photovoltaic systems.
Swiss Life Arena, the ZSC Lions’ new den, opened its doors in autumn 2022. As the climate partner, ewz is also responsible for ensuring its operations are 100% carbon-neutral. Part of the electrical energy demand is covered by a PV system on the roof of the arena.
Vacheron Constantin received the Swiss Solar Prize 2018 for the perfect integration of the photovoltaic system into the spectacular architecture. The project was planned and implemented by SunTechnics Fabrisolar AG (in German), a subsidiary of ewz.
With Liegenschaften Stadt Zürich, we have implemented a PV system measuring 2,700 m2 for the first time in the Glaubten residential development, with further projects in the pipeline.
We advise, plan and build PV systems on single-family homes and smaller apartment buildings with an output of up to 30 kilowatt peak (kWp). The process usually consists of the following steps:
free initial telephone, written or in-person consultation at the ewz energy efficiency consulting service with an initial quantitative assessment of the project
fee-based roof suitability test at the customer’s site (amount of CHF 250 is credited to a subsequent order for a system)
offer preparation including information on funding and clarification of building permit requirement, order placed by customers
construction and commissioning of the facility
Rising electricity prices for eligible customers and the impending electricity shortage in winter 2022/2023 prompted many companies to review their energy requirements. ewz’s energy consulting for businesses conducted around 400 consultations in 2022.
A collection of various articles on solar energy (in German) in the ewz online magazine powernewz.ch
