On 9 June, voters in Switzerland officially approved the Federal Act on a Secure Electricity Supply from Renewable Energy Sources. The results were announced by the Swiss Government’s Federal Council.
According to the announcement, the Act aims to tackle the country’s struggle to constantly supply itself with enough energy. This difficulty is amplified by international conflicts and Europe’s restructuring of its electricity supply, causing issues during Switzerland’s winter months.
The legislation, which received approval from 68.72% of voters, aims to “rapidly produce” more electricity for Switzerland by investing in energy sources including solar, wind, water, and biomass in a bid to reinforce the country’s supply independence.
Funding will be allocated for instruments and arrangements for producing, transporting, storing, and consuming electricity. Solar power will receive a particular focus in this bill, with the Swiss government set to install an increased volume of panels on buildings while reducing strict planning requirements for solar energy plants.
Such initiatives will elevate solar energy to the second pillar of Switzerland’s energy mix, sharing the stage with hydropower.
Analysis
According to an analysis by Swissolar, PV should provide 45TWh of Switzerland’s annual production by 2050 – about 50% of its total consumption. As it stands in 2024, Switzerland’s solar power supplies 6TWH – 10% of annual consumption.
When the legislation was initially voted upon in 2017, it saw an approval rate below this latest figure by around 10%. This demonstrates an increased enthusiasm for renewable energy amongst Switzerland’s voting population, which will build confidence in the country’s ability to move independently towards decarbonisation at an affordable cost.
Part of the solar and storage sector? Don’t miss the Swiss edition of Solar & Storage Live – taking place at Messe Zürich.
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