Guide
Subsidies for solar systems in Switzerland: federal government, canton, municipality and taxes
In Switzerland, the funding for a solar system comes from several pots. The federal government pays the same everywhere, cantons and municipalities add very different amounts on top, and then there is the tax deduction. If you know the order of the applications, you do not miss out on anything.
The one-off federal subsidy (Einmalvergütung)
The federal government supports photovoltaic systems with a single payment, the one-off subsidy (Einmalvergütung). It is paid out by Pronovo on behalf of the federal government and is based on the output of the system. For systems on single-family homes and apartment buildings, the one-off subsidy for small systems, KLEIV for short, almost always applies.
For systems without self-consumption there is the higher HEIV, and for large systems there are the GREIV and auctions. The rates are adjusted regularly. You will find the current amounts and worked examples in our article on the one-off federal subsidy (Einmalvergütung) and on our cost page.
Subsidies from canton and municipality
In addition to the one-off federal subsidy (Einmalvergütung), some cantons and many municipalities subsidise solar systems, battery storage, charging infrastructure or the replacement of the heating system. The differences are large. Some municipalities pay a substantial contribution per kilowatt, others nothing at all. The programmes are often time-limited and end when the budget is used up.
On this page you will find the cantons for which we have compiled the current programmes. For all other addresses, enter your postcode at energiefranken.ch to see what applies.
Tax deduction
The investment in a solar system on an existing building can be deducted from taxable income as property maintenance in almost all cantons. For new buildings, the deduction does not usually apply.
The cantons treat the one-off federal subsidy (Einmalvergütung) differently. In most, it counts as taxable income, and the whole investment is deductible. In some, it is instead subtracted from the deductible costs. On balance, the effect is similar, and it depends on your marginal tax rate.
Payment for electricity fed into the grid
This is not a subsidy in the strict sense, but it is part of the calculation. Your grid operator pays you a feed-in payment for the electricity you feed into the grid. Since 2026, a minimum feed-in payment of 6 Rappen per kilowatt hour has applied to systems of up to 30 kW. Depending on the grid operator, an amount for the guarantee of origin is added.
The right order
For the one-off federal subsidy (Einmalvergütung), the application is submitted after commissioning. With cantonal and municipal programmes, it is usually the other way round. The application must be submitted, or even approved, before the work begins. If you build first and ask later, you get nothing there.
- Before the quote: check the programmes of the canton and municipality at your address.
- Before construction starts: submit the cantonal and municipal applications and wait for the approval where it is required.
- After commissioning: apply to Pronovo for the one-off federal subsidy (Einmalvergütung).
- In your tax return: claim the investment as property maintenance.
