Incentives for a solar system come from three levels: the federal government (the one-off feed-in incentive via Pronovo, uniform nationwide), the canton, and the municipality. The municipal level is a patchwork – some municipalities pay a surcharge for a solar system or support the battery storage, many nothing at all. Because this changes constantly and differs greatly by location, the way forward is a targeted query for your address, most simply via energiefranken.ch. It's worth asking – but the big incentive remains the federal one-off feed-in incentive. (As of: July 2026)
Key points in brief
- Incentives play out on three levels: federal government, canton, municipality.
- The big, nationwide incentive is the one-off feed-in incentive via Pronovo.
- The municipal level is a patchwork – often storage grants, sometimes PV surcharges, frequently nothing.
- The easiest way to find the programmes is via the postcode search on energiefranken.ch.
- Every municipal programme has its own rules – and almost always: the application must be submitted before construction starts.
Which levels support the solar system?
Three – and it's worth keeping them cleanly apart. The federal government pays the one-off feed-in incentive via Pronovo, uniform nationwide and by far the largest item. It's the incentive every system can count on.
The canton sometimes adds its own programmes – for the Canton of Zurich, the article on incentives in the Canton of Zurich covers the cantonal level, and the City of Zurich has its own approaches again with its own municipal incentive programme.
The municipality, finally, is the least clear-cut level: here each municipality decides for itself whether and what it additionally supports. That's exactly why municipal incentives can't be quantified across the board – it's a patchwork that has to be checked place by place.
What do municipalities typically support?
There's no uniform picture – but a few patterns keep coming up. Some municipalities pay a surcharge for the solar system in addition to the one-off feed-in incentive. More common is support for the battery storage, which the federal government doesn't cover via the one-off feed-in incentive – municipal storage incentives are one of the most widespread models and are described in more detail in the article on battery storage incentives. And some municipalities support accompanying measures such as energy consulting or the GEAK.
| Level | Typical incentive | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Federal government | One-off feed-in incentive (PV) | uniform, largest item |
| Canton | sometimes programmes (depends on canton) | varies |
| Municipality | Storage grant, sometimes PV surcharge | Patchwork, check locally |
Simplified overview, as of: July 2026. Municipal programmes change constantly and differ greatly – your municipality's current information is authoritative.
Put honestly: municipal incentives are usually the smaller contribution – a top-up that improves the calculation but rarely decides the project. The big incentive remains the one-off feed-in incentive. Still, it's worth asking, because where there's a contribution, you're happy to take it.
How do I find the incentives for my municipality?
Most easily via a postcode search. The platform energiefranken.ch from EnergieSchweiz bundles the incentive programmes of the federal government, canton and municipality: you enter your postcode or municipality and get the available programmes for that address. It's the fastest way to get an overview of the local patchwork without asking each office separately.
It's also worth checking your own municipality's website directly and asking your local energy supplier, which sometimes has its own offers. Incidentally, the same principle applies to wallbox incentives – they too are a municipal patchwork.
One point is the same and decisive across all programmes: the application must be submitted before construction starts. Almost every incentive programme – whether federal, cantonal or municipal – requires the application to be submitted and approved before work begins. A retroactive application has no chance. That's why clarifying incentives belongs at the start of planning, not at the end.
Municipal incentives are the topic where we have to say «it depends» the most – and honestly mean it that way. Two neighbouring municipalities can have completely different programmes, and what applied last year may have expired this year. What we advise everyone: do the postcode search on energiefranken.ch at the start, not at the end – together with the incentive application, which has to be in place before construction starts anyway. That way you see at a glance what comes together for your address: the one-off feed-in incentive for certain, cantonal and municipal contributions depending on location. And one more thing from experience: don't postpone the project because of a small municipal grant – the big lever remains the system itself and its self-consumption.
Frequently asked questions
Is there municipal support for solar systems?
It depends on the municipality – it's a patchwork. Some municipalities pay a surcharge for the solar system or support the battery storage, many support nothing at all. The big, nationwide incentive is and remains the one-off feed-in incentive via Pronovo. Whether your municipality provides additional support is best checked via a postcode search.
Where do I find the incentive programmes for my address?
Most easily via energiefranken.ch from EnergieSchweiz: enter your postcode or municipality, and the platform shows the programmes of the federal government, canton and municipality. It's also worth checking your municipality's website and asking your local energy supplier.
Does the municipality also support the battery storage?
Often yes – municipal storage incentives are one of the most widespread models, because the federal government doesn't cover the storage battery via the one-off feed-in incentive. The amount differs greatly by municipality. Whether and how much your municipality pays is shown by the postcode search or by asking directly.
Do I have to submit the application before construction?
Yes, for almost every incentive programme – whether federal, cantonal or municipal. The application must be submitted and approved before construction starts, otherwise the entitlement lapses. That's why clarifying incentives belongs at the start of planning. A retroactive application generally has no chance.
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Sources: energiefranken.ch (EnergieSchweiz), Pronovo (one-off feed-in incentive), cantonal and municipal incentive programmes, as of July 2026. Programmes change constantly – your municipality's current information is authoritative.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
