You apply for the one-off feed-in incentive via Pronovo's online portal: create an account, submit the application with the system data, wait for certification by an accredited body, receive the decision, get paid out. For systems under 100 kWp (KLEIV), this happens after commissioning – in practice, the installation company usually handles the whole process.
Key points in brief
- Pronovo is the certification body commissioned by the federal government – all EIV applications come together there.
- For single-family homes (KLEIV): commissioning first, then the application.
- The centrepiece is the certification of the system data – this is where most delays arise.
- Experience shows several months pass between application and payout.
- Your installation company can (and should) run the process for you.
What is Pronovo – and why is there no way around it?
Pronovo AG administers the renewable energy incentive programmes on behalf of the federal government, including the one-off feed-in incentive for photovoltaics. Without an application to Pronovo, there's no federal contribution – it isn't triggered automatically, even if your system has long been supplying power and is registered with the grid operator. Utility registration and the Pronovo application are two separate processes; the two are easily confused.
The process in 5 steps
Step 1: create an account on the Pronovo portal
Registration with the email and personal details of the system operator – i.e. the person to whom the remuneration is paid out. Practical tip: the installation company can act as an authorised agent; a power of attorney is enough for that.
Step 2: enter the application
In the portal, you enter the system: location, installed capacity, system category (mounted, integrated, free-standing), commissioning date, payment details. For the classic single-family home, the programme is KLEIV – the portal assigns it automatically based on capacity.
Step 3: certification of the system data
The decisive step: an accredited body – depending on the case, the grid operator or an independent auditor – confirms that the reported data is correct. The technical documentation of the installation is the basis. If the capacity details, category or date are inconsistent, the dossier comes back with queries – the most common reason applications drag on (typical mistakes).
Step 4: review and decision
Pronovo reviews the certified dossier and issues the decision – the legally binding ruling on the amount and payout. The rates on your reference date are decisive for the amount, and can be looked up in Pronovo's tariff calculator.
Step 5: payout
After the decision, the transfer to the registered account follows. Patience is part of it: experience shows several months pass between the application being received and the money arriving in the account – current experience values: Pronovo waiting times.
These documents should be ready
| Document | For what |
|---|---|
| Commissioning report / acceptance documents | Commissioning date, proof |
| Technical system data (number of modules, module output, inverter) | Capacity calculation, certification |
| Connection confirmation from the grid operator | Metering point assignment |
| Details on the system category (photos help) | mounted vs. integrated – affects the classification |
| IBAN of the operator | Payout |
| power of attorney, if applicable | if the company handles the application |
As of July 2026 – the current requirements in the Pronovo portal apply.
Do it yourself or have it done?
You're allowed to handle the application yourself – it's not rocket science, but it's detail work with technical data that comes from the installation company anyway. That's why our clear recommendation (and our standard) is: the company that built the system also submits the application. It has all the data first-hand, knows the category distinctions, and answers queries from the certification body without going via you. When comparing quotes, explicitly check whether this is included in the price – the checklist asks about it.
The number one time-waster isn't Pronovo itself, but an untidy dossier: a capacity figure that doesn't match the module data sheet, a missing commissioning date, a wrongly chosen category. Each of these details triggers a round of queries that costs weeks. Our approach: the dossier is fully compiled during the installation itself – by commissioning day, it's ready to send. Boring, but effective.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register with Pronovo before construction?
For the standard case, KLEIV (under 100 kWp), no – the application follows after commissioning. It's different for large systems (GREIV) and full-export setups (HEIV): there, the procedural question belongs in the planning phase.
Who counts as the applicant – me or the solar company?
Always the operator of the system; the remuneration goes to their account. The company can run the process by power of attorney, but doesn't take your place.
What does registration cost?
Fees may apply for certification; whether and how much depends on the procedure and the certification body. Ask your company whether these costs are included in the quote.
How do I find out the status of my application?
The status can be viewed in the Pronovo portal; decisions arrive in writing. If your installation company handles the application, check with them – they see the same status.
What happens if the system is extended?
Extensions are notified separately and remunerated under their own rules (details). What matters is a clean distinction between old and new capacity – here too, a complete dossier pays off.
Free initial consultation
At ecoEn, the application is part of the project.
We build the system, compile the dossier and handle the Pronovo application – you get the decision and the money.
Want to calculate yourself first? Solar calculator with official roof data →
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Photovoltaics Switzerland – installation by a specialist company →
Swissolar-certified specialist company · ESTI installation authorisation (Art. 14 NIV) · in Zurich since 2017 · over 150 systems completed · a personal answer from the specialist company, no call centre
Sources: Pronovo AG (portal, fact sheets, tariff calculator), SFOE.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
