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Solar Calculator Switzerland 2026

Enter your roof area and electricity consumption — instantly receive a realistic estimate of costs, annual yield and payback period for your solar installation in Switzerland.

100% free
Instant results
Swiss market data

950–1,000

kWh/kWp/year

Swiss average

8–12

years

Typical payback

~350

CHF/kWp

Federal OTP subsidy

25–30

years

Module lifespan

Your personal solar potential

Enter your available roof area (approximately) and your annual electricity consumption. The calculator is based on Swiss average values and the OTP subsidy.

Solar Calculator

Calculate the potential of your solar installation in seconds

20 m²50200 m²
1,000 kWh4'500 kWh10,000 kWh

Reference values: 6.5 m²/kWp · 950 kWh/kWp/year · CHF 2,200/kWp · OTP ~CHF 350/kWp. No binding quote.

Reference values

Typical installation sizes in Switzerland

Different system sizes are recommended depending on household size and available roof space. All prices before cantonal subsidies — these can reduce costs by a further 10–15%.

Small

6 kWp

Roof area

39 m²

Annual yield5,700 kWh
Gross costCHF 13,200
OTP subsidyCHF 2,100
Net costCHF 11,100
Payback period9–12 years
Suitable for: 2 people / apartment
Most popular size

Medium

10 kWp

Roof area

65 m²

Annual yield9,500 kWh
Gross costCHF 22,000
OTP subsidyCHF 3,500
Net costCHF 18,500
Payback period8–11 years
Suitable for: 3–4 people / detached house

Large

15 kWp

Roof area

98 m²

Annual yield14,250 kWh
Gross costCHF 33,000
OTP subsidyCHF 5,250
Net costCHF 27,750
Payback period8–10 years
Suitable for: Large family / apartment building

Indicative 2026 values. Actual costs may vary by installer, canton and system.Detailed cost overview →

Influencing factors

What influences your solar yield?

The calculator works with average values. In practice, six factors play a decisive role — understand these to correctly interpret the result.

Roof orientation

South, east or west are ideal

A south-facing roof achieves 100% yield. East/west deliver 70–80% each, north-facing roofs only 50–60%. The ideal angle is 25–35°.

Roof condition

Plan renovation if necessary

Tile, concrete and metal roofs are straightforward. Asbestos or bitumen roofs must be renovated beforehand — increasing the overall cost.

Shading

Have shading checked

Trees, chimneys or neighbouring buildings can reduce yield by 10–30%. Modern micro-inverters or optimisers minimise losses.

Self-consumption

Storage increases self-consumption

Without storage, you self-consume approximately 25–35% of production. With storage, self-consumption rises to 60–80% — significantly improving profitability.

Electricity price

~25–30 ct/kWh in Switzerland

The average Swiss household currently pays around 25–30 ct/kWh. Every self-produced kilowatt is a direct saving. With rising prices, the installation pays off faster.

Grid feed-in

6–15 ct/kWh feed-in rate

Electricity you do not consume yourself is fed into the grid. The remuneration varies from 6 to 15 ct/kWh depending on the grid operator — well below the purchase price.

Swiss reference values

The numbers behind the calculator

Our solar calculator is based on validated Swiss market data. These reference values help you interpret the result and understand the underlying assumptions.

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Average sunshine hours/year (CH)1,600–2,100 h
Annual yield per kWp (CH average)950–1,000 kWh
Roof area per kWp (modern modules)6.5 m²
Installation cost per kWpCHF 2,000–2,500
Federal OTP subsidy per kWp~CHF 350
Average self-consumption without storage25–35%
Average self-consumption with storage60–80%
Solar module lifespan25–30 years
Performance guarantee (typical)80% after 25 years
Payback period (Switzerland)8–12 years

It's simple

From calculation to quote

The calculator is the first step. In three further simple steps, you receive firm quotes from vetted Swiss installers.

1

Enter roof area

Estimate your usable roof area in m² (length × width). Typically: 40–100 m².

2

Enter electricity consumption

Your annual consumption is on your electricity bill — typically 3,500–7,000 kWh for a house.

3

Understand your potential

Immediately see: system size, annual yield, costs and estimated payback period.

4

Compare quotes

Request 3 free quotes from vetted installers — no commitment and quick.

Regional differences

Solar yield by region in Switzerland

Solar irradiation varies regionally in Switzerland. Ticino and Valais are among the sunniest regions with over 2,000 sunshine hours per year and an annual yield of up to 1,100 kWh/kWp.

German-speaking Switzerland and the Plateau are at 1,600–1,900 hours — still excellent conditions for solar energy. The difference in annual yield between Geneva and Zurich is less than 15%. Solar installations are worthwhile throughout Switzerland.

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Ticino (Lugano)2,080 h/year

1,080–1,100 kWh/kWp

Valais (Sion)2,130 h/year

1,050–1,100 kWh/kWp

Lake Geneva region1,870 h/year

970–1,000 kWh/kWp

Berne / Plateau1,720 h/year

900–950 kWh/kWp

Zurich1,700 h/year

880–920 kWh/kWp

Basel / Northern Switzerland1,660 h/year

860–900 kWh/kWp

Profitability

What does a solar installation concretely bring you?

With a typical 10 kWp installation in Switzerland — calculated with 25 ct/kWh electricity price and 35% self-consumption without storage.

Annual electricity savings

CHF 950

≈ 3,325 kWh self-consumed × 25 ct

Feed-in remuneration / year

CHF 617

≈ 6,175 kWh fed in × 10 ct

Total benefit / year

CHF 1,567

Savings + feed-in remuneration

Total benefit over 25 years

CHF 39,000+

Electricity prices will continue to rise

Note: Figures are based on a 10 kWp installation with net costs of approximately CHF 18,500, 35% self-consumption, 25 ct/kWh purchase price and 10 ct/kWh feed-in tariff. With battery storage, an electric vehicle or rising electricity prices, profitability improves significantly.

Ready for concrete quotes?

Our calculator gives a first indication. For binding offers, we connect you free of charge with vetted Swiss solar installers.

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No obligation
No cold calls

Why use this solar calculator?

Instant calculation

Get a first estimate for your solar installation in seconds — no registration required.

Calculate yield

See how much electricity your roof can produce annually — based on your region.

Understand costs

Realistic cost estimate with OTP subsidy based on current Swiss market prices.

Plan payback

Find out when your investment pays off and how much you save over 25 years.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about the calculator and profitability

How accurate is the solar calculator?+

Our solar calculator provides a solid first estimate. It is based on Swiss average values: 6.5 m² per kWp, 950 kWh of production per kWp and CHF 2,200 installation costs per kWp. For an exact calculation, we recommend a professional on-site consultation that considers roof orientation, shading and local conditions.

How much roof space do I need per kWp?+

With modern modules, approximately 6.5 m² of roof area per kWp is required in Switzerland. For a typical 10 kWp installation, you need around 65 m² of usable roof space. Not all roof area is usable — skylights, chimneys and shading reduce the available surface.

What is the one-time payment (OTP) subsidy?+

The federal one-time payment (OTP) is currently around CHF 350 per kWp installed. It is deducted directly from the installation price, noticeably reducing your actual costs. Additional cantonal subsidies may also be available. Together, subsidies can cover 20–30% of investment costs.

What is the typical payback period in Switzerland?+

The average payback period in Switzerland is 8–12 years, depending on electricity prices, self-consumption rate and subsidies received. After the payback period, you produce largely free electricity for another 15–20 years. With rising electricity prices, the payback period shortens further.

Is a solar installation worthwhile with a north-facing roof?+

A purely north-facing roof is not ideal. However, east and west-facing roofs still deliver 70–80% of a south-facing roof's yield and are usually worthwhile. For north-facing roofs, we recommend a professional case-by-case analysis. Modern bifacial solar modules can achieve convincing results even on less optimal roofs.

Should I add a battery storage system?+

A battery storage system increases your self-consumption rate from around 30% to 60–80%. It costs an additional CHF 8,000–15,000, but pays for itself increasingly quickly with rising electricity prices. Storage is particularly useful if you are rarely at home during the day or if you own an electric vehicle.

How does an electric vehicle affect my solar calculation?+

An electric vehicle with around 15,000 km per year consumes approximately 2,500 kWh. With a solar installation around 3 kWp larger, you can largely cover this additional consumption. Charging the car during the day with solar power significantly increases self-consumption and improves overall profitability.

Which canton has the most sunshine hours in Switzerland?+

Ticino and Valais are among the sunniest cantons in Switzerland with over 2,000 sunshine hours per year. German-speaking Switzerland is between 1,600 and 1,900 hours. Even in less sunny regions, solar installations are worthwhile — the difference in annual yield between Ticino and Zurich is only about 15–20%.