Winterthur supports photovoltaics through the Energie Winterthur incentive programme – with an unusual mechanism: for systems under 30 kWp, the city adds 50 percent on top of the federal one-off feed-in incentive. For a typical 10 kWp system, that's roughly CHF 1,800 on top of the EIV of around CHF 3,600. You submit the application within six months of the Pronovo decision. (As of July 2026)
Key points in brief
- Systems under 30 kWp: the city pays an additional 50 percent of the one-off feed-in incentive amount confirmed by Pronovo – the larger the system, the larger the city's contribution.
- Watch the deadline: the application must be submitted on the incentive portal within 6 months of the Pronovo decision.
- Systems from 30 kWp run on their own model with contributions per kWp – here the rule is: application mandatory before construction starts.
- Cannot be combined with the federal high one-off feed-in incentive (HEIV); ground-mounted systems are excluded.
- On top of that, as everywhere in the Canton of Zurich, come the full tax deduction and the municipal utility's feed-in remuneration.
How does Winterthur's PV incentive work?
Most municipal programmes define their own rates per kWp. Winterthur does it differently and links its contribution directly to the federal one-off feed-in incentive (EIV): for systems under 30 kWp, you receive an additional 50 percent from the city on top of the amount Pronovo has confirmed for you. The charm of this solution: the city's contribution automatically grows with the system size, without you having to study two different incentive tables.
What this means in practice is shown by three typical sizes:
| System size | Federal EIV (guideline, around CHF 360/kWp) | Winterthur city surcharge (50%) | Total incentive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kWp | ~ CHF 1,800.– | ~ CHF 900.– | ~ CHF 2,700.– |
| 10 kWp | ~ CHF 3,600.– | ~ CHF 1,800.– | ~ CHF 5,400.– |
| 15 kWp | ~ CHF 5,400.– | ~ CHF 2,700.– | ~ CHF 8,100.– |
Guideline figures, as of July 2026. Your individual Pronovo decision and the current provisions of the Energie Winterthur incentive programme apply.
The programme is run by Stadtwerk Winterthur; besides photovoltaics, it also supports energy consultations, building envelope renovation and connection to district heating networks.
What deadlines and conditions apply?
The process deviates from the usual pattern, and that's exactly where mistakes happen. Most municipal programmes require: application before construction starts, otherwise the entitlement lapses. In Winterthur, for systems under 30 kWp, it runs the other way round – the city ties in with the federal decision:
1. Build the system and commission it, submit the EIV application to Pronovo. 2. Pronovo issues the decision with the confirmed amount. 3. Within 6 months of this decision, submit the city application on the incentive portal (portal.energie-foerderung.ch/wt).
Anyone who files away the Pronovo decision and leaves it there is giving away real money – once the deadline passes, the surcharge is gone. Two further restrictions: the incentive cannot be combined with the federal high one-off feed-in incentive (HEIV) (rarely relevant for single-family homes anyway), and ground-mounted systems are excluded.
What applies to larger systems from 30 kWp?
For systems from 30 kWp – typically apartment buildings and businesses – the programme switches to its own model: a base contribution that depends on the type of property, plus CHF 200 per kWp for the first 100 kWp and CHF 100 per kWp above that. And unlike with small systems, the classic rule applies here: the application must be submitted and approved before construction starts.
Anyone planning a larger system should look at the detailed provisions early or ask about them – the combination of base contribution, tiering and consumption requirements needs some explaining, and a missed procedural step can quickly cost a five-figure sum here.
As of July 2026; Stadtwerk Winterthur's current programme conditions apply.
What does Stadtwerk Winterthur pay for exported solar power?
Besides the investment contribution, what counts in operation is the feed-in remuneration for the electricity you don't consume yourself. Stadtwerk Winterthur publishes the rates annually; we cover the current figures, their composition and the comparison with neighbouring utilities in our Stadtwerk Winterthur feed-in tariff guide. Tariffs are adjusted periodically – check the utility's current publication before your viability calculation.
What else comes from the federal government and canton?
The foundation is the same everywhere in the canton: the federal EIV (currently around CHF 360 per kWp) is available regardless of location. The Canton of Zurich doesn't pay its own PV incentive – its funds go into heating replacement and the building envelope (the overview for the canton). Instead, the tax deduction applies: investments in existing buildings are deductible for cantonal and federal tax, with incentive contributions received correctly taken into account.
Adding up the EIV, city surcharge and tax effect, Winterthur is one of the more attractive solar locations in the canton – without needing a prominent «solar bonus» with its own name for it.
Planning a solar system in Winterthur: guideline cost and next steps
Once you've clarified the incentive question, you'll usually want to know straight away what the system costs and who builds it. As a guideline, a turnkey solar system for a single-family home costs CHF 2,100–2,700 per kWp (as of July 2026; larger systems are cheaper per kWp). For a typical 10 kWp system, that's around CHF 21,000–27,000 before incentives – of which around CHF 5,400 comes back via the EIV and city surcharge, plus the tax effect. Stadtwerk Winterthur remunerates the exported electricity under the contract model at 13.00 Rp./kWh in the winter half-year and 10.00 Rp./kWh in the summer half-year, each including guarantee of origin (tariff in detail). Winterthur is part of our core area: in the region, we've completed, among others, the 89.6 kWp system for the Winterthur gliding club and a ZEV across two single-family homes in Wiesendangen (see Projects). Cost table, permit and references for the city: Solar systems Winterthur.
The Winterthur mechanism is elegant, but it has one catch: the six-month deadline. In our projects, we repeatedly see that several months pass between commissioning and the Pronovo decision – and if the decision then gets buried in everyday business, the deadline for the city application quietly expires. We've therefore made a habit of triggering the Winterthur application right after the Pronovo decision arrives, not just «whenever there's time». The effort is small; the difference for a 10 kWp system is in the order of CHF 1,800.
Frequently asked questions
How much incentive is there in Winterthur for a 10 kWp system?
As a guideline: the federal EIV of around CHF 3,600 plus a 50 percent city surcharge of around CHF 1,800, together around CHF 5,400 – before the tax effect. The individual Pronovo decision applies. What the system itself costs: 10 kWp cost guide.
Do I have to submit the application before construction starts?
For systems under 30 kWp, no – the city application follows the Pronovo decision and must be submitted within 6 months of it. For systems from 30 kWp, the opposite applies: application mandatory before construction starts.
Does Winterthur also support battery storage?
Photovoltaics is listed in the Energie Winterthur incentive programme; a separate storage programme currently isn't. Check the programme's current catalogue of measures or ask during the consultation – the programmes are continually adjusted.
Can I combine the Winterthur incentive with the high one-off feed-in incentive (HEIV)?
No, this double incentive is excluded. For the vast majority of roof systems on residential buildings, the normal EIV is the standard route anyway.
Does the incentive also apply in the surrounding municipalities?
No, the programme applies to the city area of Winterthur. What your municipality pays is shown by energiefranken.ch with your postcode – or the overview for the Canton of Zurich.
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With every quote, we clarify the EIV, city surcharge and tax situation – and trigger the Winterthur application on time.
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Sources: Stadtwerk Winterthur (Energie Winterthur incentive programme, photovoltaic system incentives), Pronovo AG, energiefranken.ch.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
