New record for Swiss solar expansion

SVP Federal Councilor Albert Rösti (55) has taken over the Ministry of Energy and nuclear advocates are feeling the rise. The People’s Party makes security of supply a campaign issue and launches a referendum against climate law. Has the energy transition failed?

New figures on the development of renewable energy in Switzerland contradict this. Solar power is booming: Switzerland has installed an additional gigawatt of solar power in 2022. This corresponds to the output of the Gösgen nuclear power plant. According to data from the Swiss Energy Charts website, the increase in solar power generation is 25 percent compared to the previous year.

Local solar systems now supply 6.3 percent of electricity needs – 3.7 terawatt hours per year. “This is no longer a homeopathic dose,” says energy expert Thomas Nordmann (70), publisher and operator of Swiss Energy Charts. He believes that “an increase of two gigawatts per year will soon be realistic.”

Noah Heynen, 34, CEO of solar company Helion, says it could produce half the energy needed in Switzerland. Only: Electrification in transport and heating increases electricity consumption. Is the bill still increasing? Heynen: “Electricity consumption is increasing, but with e-cars and heat pumps we use four times less

More energy from fossil fuel drives and heaters. As a result, we are making huge savings.”

And usability? After all, the sun only shines during the day! Heynen, whose solar company was taken over by car dealer Amag, says the solution lies in the batteries of electric cars. “A battery like this can power a home for four days.”

Stefan Batzli (56), Managing Director of the industry’s renewable energies umbrella organization AEE Suisse, is preparing an industry campaign to support the Climate Protection Act. “We can achieve the goals of the energy transition if we consistently continue on the path we’re on,” says Batzli. “The new record for solar expansion confirms that.”