«SG-Ready» is a label that indicates that a heat pump can be controlled from the outside – for example, to run it specifically when the solar system is supplying a lot of electricity. But the label alone does nothing: it needs a control system that uses the signal, such as an energy management system. SG-Ready is the prerequisite, not the solution – the actual benefit comes from the correct control. (As of: July 2026)
Key points in brief
- SG-Ready means that a heat pump can receive control signals from the outside.
- This allows the heat pump to be steered specifically in times of high solar production or cheap tariffs.
- The label is a capability, not a benefit in itself – it needs a control system to use it.
- Often an energy management system (EMS) takes over this task in interaction with the solar system.
- In practice, the label matters less than the question of how well the heat pump, PV and control system interact.
What does «SG-Ready» even mean?
SG-Ready describes a capability: the heat pump can receive control signals from the outside and align its behaviour accordingly. «SG» stands for Smart Grid, i.e. the idea of coupling heating with the electricity supply. A heat pump with this feature can therefore be instructed to run more now or to hold back – instead of heating rigidly only according to the room temperature.
The practical sense behind this: a heat pump is the largest single electricity consumer in the house. If you let it run when your own solar system is already supplying a lot of electricity, you use more of the self-produced electricity yourself – instead of feeding it into the grid at the low tariff. This is the core of the interaction that the post combine heat pump & photovoltaics describes in detail. SG-Ready is the technical connection point for this.
It is important to classify it correctly right from the start: the label says that the heat pump can be controlled. It does not say that it is automatically controlled smartly. Many people overlook this difference.
How is SG-Ready useful in interaction with the solar system?
By allowing the heat pump to react to the solar power. The post on combining a heat pump and PV describes three levels of control, and SG-Ready is the basis for the more demanding ones.
Time programme. The simplest form – the heat pump preferably runs at certain times of the day, for example at midday when experience shows there is solar power. This does not necessarily require SG-Ready, but it is the preliminary stage.
Solar-led operation. This is where it gets interesting: if the solar system delivers a surplus, the control system gives the heat pump the signal to run now – for example, to heat the hot water cylinder a little higher or to preheat it. The controllability via SG-Ready is the prerequisite for this.
Energy management system (EMS). The most comprehensive stage. An EMS keeps an eye on the entire household – solar production, consumption, battery storage, heat pump, possibly the charging of the e-car – and distributes the electricity according to priorities. The heat pump is one of the consumers that the EMS deliberately switches on when there is a surplus. How such a system divides the tasks between heat and electricity is shown in the post on battery storage and heat pump.
The common thread: without one of these control systems, SG-Ready remains unused. The heat pump can be controlled – but someone also has to do it.
Do I absolutely need SG-Ready?
Not necessarily – but it opens up possibilities that can hardly be retrofitted later. Therefore, it is worth considering the question when making the purchase, rather than regretting it afterwards.
Anyone who has or is planning a solar system benefits from a controllable heat pump, because it increases self-consumption. This is one of the levers described in the article on optimising self-consumption: run large consumers when the sun is shining. The heat pump is one of the most effective levers for this, because it requires a lot of electricity and can be shifted in time.
But there is also the other side: some utilities control heat pumps via their own tariffs and blocking periods, as the article on heat pump electricity tariffs describes. How solar-led operation and such utility requirements are compatible is part of the planning – both need to be coordinated with each other.
| Control | What it does | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Time programme | preferably runs at fixed times | simple time control |
| Solar-led | reacts to solar surplus | Controllability (SG-Ready) |
| EMS | distributes electricity throughout the household | SG-Ready + energy manager |
Simplified overview, As of: July 2026. The specific installation and system configuration is decisive.
«Is the heat pump SG-Ready?» is a good question – but rarely the decisive one. We often experience that a controllable heat pump is installed and the capability still lies fallow, because no one has set up the control. The label is then like a connection to which nothing is connected. What we pay attention to is the interaction: does the control fit the solar system, and is it compatible with the requirements of the local utility? In many houses in the Zurich region, a well-thought-out solar-led operation alone brings noticeably more self-consumption – provided someone actually puts it into operation.
Frequently asked questions
Does SG-Ready bring anything without a solar system?
Little to nothing in terms of solar utilisation – the main purpose is to direct the heat pump to your own solar electricity or favourable tariff times. Without PV and without a variable tariff, the signal to which the heat pump could react is missing. In combination with a solar system, however, the feature unfolds its usefulness.
Is SG-Ready the same as an energy management system?
No. SG-Ready is the ability of the heat pump to be controlled. An energy management system is the entity that takes over this control and coordinates it with the solar system, battery and other consumers. One is the connection, the other the conductor.
Can I retrofit an existing heat pump to be SG-Ready?
That depends on the device. Some heat pumps can be connected via additional modules or interfaces, others cannot. Because this is often difficult to do retrospectively, it makes more sense to consider controllability when making the purchase. For an existing installation, the specialist company clarifies the possibilities.
Is the solar-led operation compatible with the blocking periods of the utility?
This must be coordinated with each other. If the utility controls the heat pump via a special tariff with blocking periods, these requirements apply. A good energy management system takes them into account and uses the free times for the solar electricity. Both systems are not mutually exclusive, but need proper coordination.
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Sources: General technical basics on SG-Ready, energy management and solar-led heat pump operation; empirical values from the planning practice of ecoEn GmbH, Zurich region.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
