With the Mantelerlass entering force on 1 January 2026, Swiss apartment owners and property portfolios gain two new tools on top of the classic ZEV: the virtual self-consumption community (vZEV) and the local electricity community (LEG). Both add concrete return opportunities.
Recap: ZEV
The Zusammenschluss zum Eigenverbrauch (ZEV) has been available since 2018. Several end consumers, typically the tenants in an apartment block, are grouped behind a single grid connection as a joint customer. The legal basis sits in Art. 17–18 EnG and Art. 14 ff. EnV.
- Benefit: no grid fee on internally consumed solar power
- Tenant protection (Art. 16 EnV): internal tariff capped at the local basic supply price
- Requirement: a single connection line to the distribution grid
New: vZEV, virtual self-consumption
The vZEV solves the biggest pain point of the classic ZEV: properties with multiple grid connections. Re-wiring several buildings onto one meter was often a deal-breaker.
Under Art. 14 para. 3 EnV, existing connection lines and local grid infrastructure can now be merged virtually:
- Several buildings on the same property are operated together
- No physical intervention in the distribution grid needed
- Same grid-fee advantages as the classic ZEV
For owners of multi-building developments this is the most meaningful unlock since 2018.
Even newer: LEG, local electricity community
The LEG (Art. 17d ff. StromVG) goes a step further: it is the first time solar power can be traded across the public distribution grid. Producers and consumers in a municipality form a LEG and exchange electricity directly.
Requirements
- Same municipality
- Same voltage level
- Same grid area
- Smart meter (mandatory, delivered within 3 months on request)
Financial upside
- 40 % discount on the grid usage fee for power traded inside the LEG
- 20 % discount when the trade crosses voltage levels
- System services and public levies unchanged
For a neighbourhood running its own solar production, a LEG can lower the effective tariff by 3–8 Rp./kWh, depending on voltage topology and traffic density.
Which model fits which property?
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Single apartment building, one connection | ZEV, simplest option |
| Development with multiple connections | vZEV, avoids expensive re-wiring |
| Neighbourhood with producers and loads | LEG, grid-fee discount and trading |
| Historic site with an interested neighbouring business | vZEV + LEG combined |
What changes for tenants?
Under ZEV and vZEV the tenant protection rules remain in force: the internal tariff cannot exceed the local basic supply price. Inside a LEG the trading price is negotiated freely between members, typically slightly below the retail tariff and clearly above the feed-in rate. A win-win for both sides.
Action plan for owners
- Audit: How are your buildings connected to the grid? How many meters per property?
- Assess the solar potential: Validate roof areas with Sonnendach.ch and an on-site survey
- Pick the financial model: direct investment or SolarFree Multi-Family (PPA), where Free State AG finances and operates the system
- Choose the regulatory model: ZEV / vZEV internally, or LEG for a neighbourhood strategy
- Request smart meters, a prerequisite for LEG
Our recommendation
For most apartment buildings the vZEV is the single biggest improvement since self-consumption was introduced. If you are thinking larger, a real-estate portfolio, a campus or a neighbourhood, plan for the LEG on top.
At Free State AG we support owners from potential analysis to billing, with ZEV/vZEV billing software, smart-meter coordination and 24/7 monitoring.
Discover SolarFree for apartment buildings →
Sources: Mantelerlass / Stromgesetz, StromVV, Energy Ordinance (EnV), Swissolar, VSE. As of April 2026.
