Self-consumption – and by a clear margin. Every self-consumed kilowatt-hour saves you the full electricity purchase price including grid usage and levies, while feed-in brings only 6 to 14 Rp./kWh depending on the utility. Self-consumed solar power is thus worth roughly two to four times as much as fed-in. The right strategy still isn't "either – or" but: maximise self-consumption, feed in the rest as well as possible. (As of: July 2026)
Key points in brief
- With self-consumption you save the complete purchase tariff (energy + grid + levies) – with feed-in you receive only the energy value.
- In the region, 2026 feed-in remuneration lies between the statutory lower limit of 6 Rp. and 14 Rp./kWh – electricity purchase costs a multiple of that.
- Without special measures, a typical household consumes only a fraction of its production itself – with behaviour, control, heat pump, EV and battery the rate can be multiplied.
- Feeding in still makes sense: the additional modules on the full roof are the cheapest of the system, and in areas with good tariffs (ewz, Winterthur) the surplus pays off decently.
- The metric that counts is called self-consumption rate – not system size.
Why is self-consumption worth so much more?
The answer lies in the structure of your electricity bill. What you pay per kilowatt-hour drawn consists of three parts: the energy itself, grid usage and various levies – together, depending on the municipality, typically somewhere between about 25 and 35 Rp./kWh. If you consume your solar power yourself, you save all three parts, because the electricity flows from the roof directly into your appliances without using the public grid.
If you feed in instead, the utility only remunerates you for the energy value – depending on grid area and model between the statutory floor of 6.0 Rp. and 14 Rp./kWh (the big comparison). Grid usage and levies aren't refunded to you – you don't incur them either, but your neighbour does, who draws your electricity via the grid.
This gives the simplest rule of thumb in the whole solar economy: a self-consumed kilowatt-hour is worth roughly two to four times as much as a fed-in one. That's exactly why the self-consumption rate is at the centre of every serious cost-effectiveness calculation.
Guideline values, as of: July 2026 – your local electricity tariff and your grid operator's tariff sheet are decisive.
How much self-consumption is realistic?
Here comes the uncomfortable truth: very little happens by itself. The system produces most at midday – exactly when many households stand empty. Without special measures, a typical single-family household therefore only consumes about a quarter to a third of its own production itself; the rest flows into the grid.
The good news: the rate isn't fate but an adjustable lever – and one with several gears:
| Measure | Effect on the self-consumption rate | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Shift consumption (washing machine, dishwasher, boiler to midday) | noticeable | free – timer and habit |
| Link the heat pump to PV control | large | small if already present |
| Charge the EV during the day (PV-led wallbox) | large | small to medium |
| Battery storage | very large – shifts solar power into the evening | Investment, pays off case by case |
By consistently combining these levers, noticeably higher rates are achievable in a single-family home – in detail, everything depends on the consumption profile. The concrete tricks: Optimising self-consumption.
Don't confuse them: the self-consumption rate says how much of your production you use yourself; the degree of self-sufficiency says how much of your consumption the system covers. For the money, the first figure counts primarily.
When is feeding in still the right strategy?
Anyone who concludes from the rule of thumb "self-consumption beats feed-in" that the system should be built as small as possible is calculating wrongly – for three reasons:
1. The additional modules are the cheapest. Scaffolding, inverter, electrician and planning are incurred anyway; each further module only costs the material and installation share. Even remunerated at 8 Rappen, these kilowatts pay back decently – and the one-off feed-in incentive pays per kWp as well. 2. Good tariff areas shift the calculation. In the ewz area (stable ~13 Rp.) or in Winterthur (contract model up to 13 Rp. in winter) the surplus is a solid second pillar of income; LEG models also raise marketing. 3. Consumption grows. Heat pump, EV, maybe an air conditioner – what is surplus today is self-consumption in five years. You cover the roof area once; retrofitting costs a multiple.
The right order is therefore: size the system to the roof, maximise self-consumption with control and coupling, feed the surplus in under the best possible model. Not "either – or", but "first – then".
The most revealing figure in our annual conversations is rarely the production – it's the self-consumption rate. Two identical systems in the same neighbourhood can be worlds apart economically, simply because one family has programmed the boiler and washing machine for midday and the other lets everything run in the evening. Our standard advice costs nothing: after the first year of operation, work out the rate once from the statement and put the three biggest consumers into the sunny hours. For many households that brings more than any tariff optimisation – and it's addictive: once someone has started using their midday production, they rarely stop.
Frequently asked questions
Is a solar system worthwhile even with a low self-consumption rate?
Usually yes – thanks to the one-off feed-in incentive, tax deduction and feed-in revenue, the calculation generally stays positive, only the payback period lengthens. The honest overall calculation: Is a solar system worth it?
Should I deliberately build the system small so I consume everything myself?
No – a 100 per cent rate by forgoing modules is symbolism, not economics. The additional modules cost little, are funded and deliver yield; future extra consumption (EV, heat pump) almost always comes.
What does a battery concretely do for the rate?
It shifts midday production into the evening and raises the self-consumption rate noticeably. Whether that pays off depends on battery price, consumption profile and your tariff area – in a market-price area (low feed-in remuneration) it tends to pay off more readily than in the ewz area.
Does electricity for the heat pump count as self-consumption?
Yes – everything consumed behind your grid connection while the system is producing. That's exactly why PV-led control of the heat pump and wallbox is the biggest single lever.
How do I find out my current self-consumption rate?
From production data (inverter app) and the feed-in quantity on the statement: (production − feed-in) ÷ production. Many monitoring apps show the rate directly.
Free initial consultation
More self-consumption instead of minimum remuneration?
We calculate the self-consumption strategy and system size with your grid operator's real tariff model – and check in the free battery check whether a battery improves your calculation.
Prefer to talk? +41 78 830 83 35
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: ElCom (electricity price overviews), tariff sheets of regional grid operators, Swiss Federal Office of Energy.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
