Frequently Asked Questions

Solar is renewable, reliable, and clean energy that reduces reliance on fossil fuels. With a solar system, you benefit from predictable energy rates for 35 years and take control of your energy future.

Suitability depends on your location, roof angle, shade, and home age. Our solar advisors conduct a custom analysis to determine if your home qualifies and assess your energy needs.

The number of panels depends on your power requirements (based on utility bills), climate, and roof characteristics. We customize every system to maximize energy production for your specific home.

Your past usage allows us to customize an appropriately-sized system. A full year of data reveals seasonal variations needed to match your home's actual consumption patterns.

Yes. Solar systems benefit from the one-off remuneration from Pronovo, cantonal and municipal funding programmes, the tax deduction of the investment and the grid operator's feed-in remuneration for exported electricity.

Installing a solar system increases the attractiveness and value of your home for potential buyers.

A typical installation includes crew arrival and preparation, system design review, panel and wiring installation, cleanup, and a final walk-through explaining system operation and activation procedures.

Installation requires drilling holes to anchor racking equipment. All roof penetrations are waterproofed and guaranteed by our workmanship warranty. Solar panels actually protect underlying roof sections from weathering.

Standard components include solar panels (converting sunlight to DC electricity), an inverter (converting DC to AC), a monitoring meter, the main electrical panel, and a utility meter.

Installation typically completes in one day. Pre-installation preparation takes several weeks, including site survey, design finalization, permit application, and obtaining necessary approvals.

Your home is powered by solar energy from your roof. You can monitor production via our online portal.

Before commissioning, we submit the grid connection application for your system to the grid operator and register it with Pronovo for the one-off remuneration. After completion, the electrician reports the system to the grid operator, who approves commissioning. Processing usually takes a few weeks.

Solar panels convert sunlight to DC electricity. Inverters transform it to AC electricity powering your home. Excess energy flows to the grid, while the monitoring meter tracks production and the utility meter tracks grid exchanges.

Solar systems produce electricity in all weather conditions. Cloudy-day production typically reaches 10–25% of capacity. System designs account for regional sunlight variations to ensure appropriate sizing.

Yes, systems produce year-round, though output fluctuates seasonally. Summer production peaks with longer days, while winter production declines due to shorter days and variable weather. Designs account for seasonal variation.

Panels require sunlight and remain dormant at night. Net metering credits enable using nighttime grid power, and battery storage enables consuming daytime-produced electricity after sunset.

Solar systems automatically deactivate during outages to protect utility workers on power lines. Systems restart automatically when utility power restores. Battery-equipped systems continue providing backup power during outages.

Panels continue producing well past 35 years, declining approximately 0.5% annually. After 35 years, systems operate at roughly 82% of their original capacity, providing continued clean renewable energy.

Leasing requires minimal upfront costs with included maintenance. Purchasing offers direct access to tax credits and incentives but requires maintenance responsibility outside warranty coverage. Both options have unique advantages depending on your situation.

With SolarFree you use the system without investing and pay a fixed price per kilowatt hour for the solar power produced. With SolarAbo you finance the system through a fixed monthly instalment. With SolarDirect you buy the system and it belongs to you from day one.

At Free State a turnkey solar system with battery costs CHF 2,300 to 2,800 per kWp excl. VAT. A 10 kWp system comes to roughly CHF 21,000 to 27,000 incl. VAT after the federal one-off subsidy. With SolarFree you can also go solar with CHF 0 down payment.

Solar replaces unpredictable utility rate increases with locked-in, predictable rates. The greater the utility rate increases over time, the larger your solar savings become.

You remain grid-connected, purchasing supplementary power during insufficient production (cloudy days, winter, nighttime). Standard connection fees apply even when solar provides all your electricity.

Yes. In most cantons, the investment in a solar system is deductible from taxable income. In addition, you receive the one-off remuneration from Pronovo. Contact our solar advisors for details on your canton.

Trim nearby trees for maximum sun exposure. Spray dusty panels with water. Rainy days typically provide sufficient cleaning. Avoid cleaning snow as it naturally slides off.

Yes. Your system continuously sends its production data to the inverter manufacturer's monitoring portal. With a maintenance contract, we monitor the system and follow up on deviations.

With SolarFree and SolarAbo, we cover all repairs and replacements for the entire contract term. With SolarDirect, the manufacturers' warranties apply, supplemented by an optional maintenance contract. Report problems via our support portal.

Yes. The components are covered by the manufacturers' warranties. With SolarFree and SolarAbo, monitoring and maintenance are included, and defects are repaired free of charge for the entire contract term.

Contact our customer service for removal and reinstallation quotes. Our team temporarily removes the modules during the roof renovation. Please get in touch early so that we can schedule the work.

Shade reduces panel efficiency. Our design accounts for existing shade, however future tree growth may decrease production. Trimming trees maximizes your panels' sun exposure.

Batteries can supply selected circuits, such as the refrigerator, lighting and internet. The duration depends on the storage size and your consumption. Solar modules recharge the battery in daylight.

In the event of an outage, batteries supply the backed-up circuits within seconds. How long depends on the storage size and consumption. Solar modules recharge the battery daily, which enables support over several days.

Systems remain grid-connected when utility power is available. During outages, the battery 'islands' from the grid, powering selected areas of your home. Grid reconnection occurs automatically when utility power restores.

Battery sizing depends on your unique energy needs, consumption habits, and which appliances you want backed up. A professional assessment determines the appropriately-sized system for your specific requirements.

Batteries are typically wall-mounted in garages, utility rooms or on exterior walls.

Installers handle all configuration with optimized settings. Batteries last 10–15 years with typical 10-year manufacturer warranties. Our maintenance plan includes 35 years of professional monitoring.

Solar systems offset their manufacturing emissions within 10 months. Over their lifetime, they prevent carbon emissions equivalent to driving nearly 500,000 miles.

Solar adoption provides clean electricity with zero emissions. Home-generated power reduces grid strain during peak demand, benefiting your entire community's safety and infrastructure.

Surplus solar power that you do not consume yourself is fed into the grid. The grid operator pays you for every kilowatt hour exported. Each grid operator sets its own tariffs, which are published by ElCom.