Labels such as "Solarprofi" from the industry association Swissolar show that a company commits to trade standards and further training and formally belongs to the industry – a useful first filter when searching for a provider. What no label guarantees: the quality of your specific project. That comes from planning, installation and support – and you check those via references, the quality of the consultation, and the quote itself. (As of: July 2026)
Key points in brief
- The Solarprofi label from Swissolar stands for association membership, proven reference systems and documented training and further education – with random checks by the association.
- Labels are a filter, not a quality seal for the individual project: they sort the field but don't replace your own checks.
- Alongside industry labels, hard qualifications count: the installation authorisation for electrical work is mandatory, not a label.
- A reputable company without a label is possible, a label without a reputable company is rare – but both occur.
- The most reliable check remains the combination: label as a pre-filter, then references, conversation and quote quality.
What's behind the Solarprofi label?
Swissolar is the trade association of the Swiss solar industry, and "Solarprofi" is its label for specialist companies. The requirements are set out in the publicly viewable admission and brand regulations: a company carrying out photovoltaic work must be a full association member, demonstrate several reference systems – one of which is inspected on site –, prove sufficient work experience and recognised training and further education, and sign a self-declaration to plan and build according to accepted technical rules and applicable law. Swissolar checks compliance with random inspections, including at reference systems, and can withdraw the label for violations. The label is thus a substantive commitment: the company is embedded in the industry, keeps training, and lets itself be measured against standards.
What that means for you as a customer can be stated precisely: the label answers the question "is this an established specialist company in the industry?" with an increased likelihood of yes. It's a signal against the field of short-lived providers who appear during the solar boom and disappear again – a topic covered in the article on red flags.
What the label does not answer: "will my project turn out well?" Project quality is created in the needs assessment, planning for the specific roof, installation and support afterwards. No association stands on your scaffolding. That's why the label is the start of the check, not its end.
What other qualifications count – and which are mandatory?
Here it's worth distinguishing between voluntary labels and hard requirements:
Mandatory, not a label: the installation authorisation. The electrical installation of a solar system may only be carried out by a company with the appropriate authorisation – that's a legal requirement, not an accolade. Anyone without it works with partners or not at all; the details, including the safety certificate, are explained in the article on SiNa and electrical inspection. This question belongs in every provider check, especially with foreign providers. At ecoEn it's documented: ecoEn GmbH is registered with ESTI with an installation authorisation under Art. 14 NIV for photovoltaic systems (authorisation no. SOB-284349-1) – verifiable in the public ESTI register.
Professional qualifications. Behind a good company stand trained people – from the electrical installer to specific solar training. Such qualifications are tied to the person: what counts is who actually plans and carries out your project.
Other labels and memberships. Alongside that there are regional trade associations, manufacturer certifications ("certified installation partner") and quality programmes. Manufacturer certificates prove system knowledge for a particular product – useful, but naturally also a sales tool of the manufacturer.
| Proof | Character | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Installation authorisation | legal requirement | Basic prerequisite — no electrical work without it |
| Solarprofi (Swissolar) | industry label, voluntary | established specialist company meeting standards |
| Professional qualifications/further training | tied to the individual | competence of the people carrying out the work |
| Manufacturer certificates | product-related | system knowledge, but also a sales tool |
Classification, as of: July 2026. The current requirements of the respective label holders are decisive.
How do I use labels correctly – without trusting them blindly?
As a pre-filter in a three-stage process – just as the buying guide describes for choosing a provider overall:
Stage 1: Filter. Label and installation authorisation narrow the field. A company with the Solarprofi label and its own authorisation has cleared the basic hurdles – that saves you checking the obvious questions.
Stage 2: Check. Now comes what no label can deliver: checking references properly – local, comparable, matured –, having the consultation, and paying attention to the quality of the questions you're asked. A company that looks at the roof and asks about your consumption before offering a quote says more about itself than any logo on the letterhead.
Stage 3: Compare. The quote itself is the most honest proof of quality: complete line items, traceable technology, realistic yields. A label on the letterhead and a sloppy quote underneath don't add up – when in doubt, believe the quote.
And the counter-check? There are solid companies without any label at all – for example small, fully booked trade businesses that forgo association marketing. For them, references and authorisation do the work the label otherwise pre-sorts. Conversely, no label protects completely: even certified companies can deliver a poor project. The label shifts probabilities – you have to decide based on substance.
We carry the Solarprofi label ourselves – and still say in every consultation that it alone shouldn't be a reason to buy. What we recommend to customers comparing several quotes: use labels for the shortlist, but ask every provider the same three substance questions – who carries out the electrical work and with what authorisation, what comparable projects exist in the region, and how the yield forecast was arrived at. These questions separate the field faster than any logo. The label has its value – but it lies in the industry credentials, not in a guarantee for your roof.
Frequently asked questions
Is a company without the Swissolar label untrustworthy?
No – the label is voluntary, and there are solid specialist companies that forgo it. Then references, installation authorisation and quote quality take over the checking work. Conversely: a label doesn't replace that check, it only makes the shortlist easier.
Does the label guarantee me a good system?
No. It proves the company's industry credentials, professional requirements and further training – the quality of your specific project comes from planning, installation and support. So also check references and the quote; the label is the start of the check, not its end.
Where can I check whether a company carries the label?
Swissolar keeps a public directory of Solarprofi companies. A quick check is worthwhile – anyone advertising the label should be found there. The same principle applies to other memberships: verify, don't just take their word for it.
What's more important: the label or the installation authorisation?
The installation authorisation – it's a legal requirement for the electrical work, not a voluntary quality signal. A label with an unresolved authorisation question is useless. Reputable companies answer, without hesitation, who installs and with what authorisation.
Do manufacturer certificates ("certified partner") mean anything?
They prove that the company knows a particular system and has been trained by the manufacturer – genuinely relevant for the choice of system. At the same time, they're a sales tool of the manufacturer. Weight them as proof of technical knowledge, not as a neutral quality verdict.
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Sources: Swissolar, admission and brand regulations SOLARPROFIS® (2022 version) and the Solarprofi directory; ESTI/NIV (installation authorisation); empirical data from ecoEn GmbH's market practice, Zurich region.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
