KLEIV and GREIV are two variants of the same funding scheme – the Confederation's one-off feed-in incentive. The dividing line is system capacity: KLEIV applies to systems under 100 kW, GREIV from 100 kW. The most important practical difference is in the process: the KLEIV application is only submitted after commissioning, while the GREIV application can be submitted before construction. For a single-family home, KLEIV is always the normal case. (As of: July 2026)
Note for research and media: questions about the methodology of this page to the ecoEn editorial team.
Key points in brief
- KLEIV = small one-off feed-in incentive for systems from 2 to under 100 kW; GREIV = large one-off feed-in incentive from 100 kW.
- KLEIV: build first, then apply. GREIV: the application can already be submitted before construction.
- Systems from 100 kW have an opt-in right: anyone who forgoes remuneration for the portion of the system over 100 kW is treated as a small system.
- Alongside these there's the HEIV for full-feed-in systems from 2 to just under 150 kW – with a 20-year commitment.
- For single-family homes and most apartment buildings, the programme question doesn't even arise: they automatically fall under KLEIV.
What fundamentally distinguishes KLEIV and GREIV?
Both are the same funding scheme – the one-off feed-in incentive (EIV), that is, the Confederation's one-time investment contribution to photovoltaic systems. The distinction is by system size, and the dividing line sits at 100 kW capacity:
| Programme | Capacity range | Typical case |
|---|---|---|
| KLEIV | 2 to under 100 kW | single-family home, apartment building, smaller commercial |
| GREIV | from 100 kW | large commercial and industrial roofs |
| HEIV | 2 to 149.99 kW, without self-consumption | Full export, e.g. barn roof |
As of: July 2026, per Pronovo. The respective current provisions are decisive.
For context: a typical single-family home system sits between 5 and 15 kWp – far below the threshold. Even large apartment buildings usually stay well under 100 kW. The programme question really only arises for large commercial roofs, industrial halls or agricultural buildings. Anyone who wants to know what the EIV brings in francs and how it relates to system costs: the current rates and examples are in the EIV guide.
Why is the process the real difference?
Because the order is different – and that has concrete consequences for planning.
KLEIV: build first, then apply. KLEIV applications can only be submitted once the system is built. The basis is the acceptance or commissioning record; after that the dossier goes through the Pronovo portal, gets certified and reviewed. The click-through in detail is shown in the article on Pronovo registration. That also means: for a single-family home, there's no funding approval before construction – the entitlement arises once the system is built to the rules, and the money comes after review. What timeframe to expect is under Pronovo waiting times.
GREIV: application possible before construction. Large systems can submit the application before construction – with the planned system category and planned commissioning date. That's not a bureaucratic detail but planning certainty: anyone assessing an investment in a large roof system wants to be able to pin down the funding before they build. That's exactly what the GREIV process is built for.
The rule of thumb for practice: small builds first and registers after – large can ask first and build after.
What's the opt-in right for systems from 100 kW?
A little-known but practically relevant rule: operators of a system from 100 kW can forgo remuneration for the capacity share over 100 kW – the system then counts as a small system and runs under the KLEIV process.
Why would you voluntarily forgo funding money? The answer lies in the two programmes' side conditions: different processes, different requirements, different handling. For a system just above the threshold – say 105 or 110 kW – the simpler KLEIV route can, on balance, be more attractive than the GREIV contribution on the few kilowatts over 100. Whether that pays off is a case-by-case calculation: the contribution given up against the difference in process.
For projects in this size range, the programme choice therefore belongs in planning, not in the aftermath – along with the question of whether the system should perhaps be deliberately sized just under 100 kW. That's not a trick but a legitimate design decision we calculate as standard for commercial projects.
And where does the HEIV fit in?
The HEIV – the high one-off feed-in incentive – is the special route for systems without self-consumption: the entire output is fed in. For that there's a higher contribution rate, but also a long commitment: the system must be operated without self-consumption for 20 years. Anyone who switches to a self-consumption arrangement before then has to repay proportionally.
The HEIV is interesting for roofs with no significant consumer behind them – the classic barn, the warehouse, the return-focused roof. For a lived-in house it's almost never the right route, because self-consumption there brings more economically than the higher funding rate. The details, including the exception for local electricity communities, are in the EIV guide.
| KLEIV | GREIV | HEIV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service | 2 to <100 kW | from 100 kW | 2 to 149.99 kW |
| Self-consumption | allowed | allowed | excluded (20 years) |
| Request | after commissioning | possible before construction | clarify before implementation |
| Typical user | own home, apartment building | industry, large commercial | barn/return-focused roof |
Simplified overview, as of: July 2026. Pronovo's current provisions are decisive.
For a single-family home, the KLEIV/GREIV question actually only ever comes up in consultations as confusion – someone has read both terms and asks which form applies. The answer is reassuringly simple: KLEIV, always, and we submit the application right after commissioning as part of the same package. The programme question gets interesting for commercial projects around the 100-kW mark. There we regularly calculate two variants: the full system under the GREIV process versus one sized just under the threshold under the KLEIV route. Which wins depends on the roof, the consumption profile and the timeline – there's no blanket answer, and that's exactly why the calculation belongs in the quote.
Frequently asked questions
Which programme applies to my single-family home?
KLEIV – without exception. Typical home systems sit between 5 and 15 kWp, far below the 100-kW threshold. The application is submitted after commissioning; in practice the installation company handles that together with the other registrations.
Do I get more money per kilowatt with GREIV?
Not fundamentally – both programmes are variants of the same one-off feed-in incentive with capacity-based rates. The difference lies mainly in the process and the requirements, not in a generally higher rate. Pronovo's tariff calculator shows the specific contributions for the respective system configuration.
Can I stay in the KLEIV process with a 120 kW system?
Yes, via the opt-in right: you forgo remuneration for the portion over 100 kW, and the system counts as a small system. Whether that's worthwhile depends on how much contribution you give up and what the simpler process is worth to you – a case-by-case calculation that belongs before construction.
What happens if I later extend my KLEIV system beyond 100 kW?
Extensions have their own EIV rules – the additional capacity is remunerated under the provisions in force at that time. Anyone who can already foresee a later extension should think through the programme question and the sizing together from the start.
Does the HEIV also apply to my home if I want to feed in all the electricity?
Formally possible, economically almost never sensible: you commit for 20 years to forgo self-consumption – and that's exactly the biggest value driver for a lived-in house. The HEIV is meant for roofs with no consumption behind them, not for homes.
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Sources: Pronovo AG (photovoltaic funding, applications, FAQ — accessed July 2026), Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), Energy Funding Ordinance (EnFV).
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
