Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Solar Country Notes

Switzerland
Following the Government's national programme Energy 2000, launched in 1990, Swiss-Energy (also spanning 10 years) is a further programme for the promotion of renewable energy and more efficient use of energy. However, budget reductions introduced in 2003 have cut federal support for pilot/demonstration schemes.

Switzerland has a dedicated national PV programme which covers not only all aspects of RD&D, but also the promotion of the technology and its market deployment. The implantation of PV systems continues to be driven by the 'Solar electricity from the utility' campaign and other green-power publicity. Growth in 2005 was particularly strong, with a 4.3 MWp increase in the installed capacity of grid-connected systems. Two large systems were completed by Swiss electric utilities: one of 850 kWp in Berne and the other of 1 MWp in Geneva.

The Swiss WEC Member Committee reports end-2005 capacity as 26 300 kWp. IEA-PVPS data indicate that capacity is split 10.8% off-grid domestic, 1.2% off-grid non-domestic, 78.5% grid-connected distributed and 9.5% grid-connected centralised.

The Member Committee, quoting advice from the Federal Office of Energy, shows PV output as rising from the 2005 level of 19.3 GWh to 40 GWh by 2010 and 225 GWh by 2030 - providing a cost-covering feed-in tariff scheme is adopted.

The total glazed area of solar thermal collectors in operation in 2005 was
392 000 m², giving an output capacity of about 274 MWt.