Outputs
Policy White Papers
Actionable guidance for federal and cantonal policymakers to accelerate Switzerland's transition to a decentralized renewable energy system.
About the Policy White Papers
The Policy White Papers are a series of reports that provide actionable guidance for federal and cantonal policymakers to accelerate Switzerland's transition to a decentralized renewable energy system.
Each paper examines specific aspects of the energy transition, including distributional impacts, community acceptance, and market dynamics. The papers are based on rigorous analysis and stakeholder engagement to ensure their relevance and applicability.
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Policy White Paper 3: Who Pays for the Energy Transition? Distributional Evidence and Policy Lessons for Switzerland
Florian Landis, ZHAW; Regina Betz, ZHAW; Philippe Thalmann, EPF Lausanne; Carsten Nathani, Impact Economics; Alexandre Torné, Université de Genève; Evelina Trutnevyte, Université de Genève; Gracia Brückmann, Universität Bern; Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen, Universität Bern
Policy White Paper 2: Socio-political, Community and Market Acceptance of Renewable Energy Technologies
Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen, University of Bern; Claudia Binder, EPFL; Christof Bucher, Bern University of Applied Sciences; Mert Duygan, EPFL / University of Bern; Maria Anna Hecher, EPFL; David Joss, Bern University of Applied Sciences; Javier Feller, EPFL; Simon Montfort, EPFL; Jonas Schmid, University of Bern; Rolf Wüstenhagen, University of St.Gallen
View publication →Policy White Paper 1: Quantifying the degree of fragmentation of policies targeting household solar PV in Switzerland
Tobias Schmidt; Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen; Mak Dukan; David Giger; Nicolas Schmid; Valentin Schneuwly
View publication →Policy Recommendations
These summaries present policy options for consideration, rather than statements of government policy. Consult the linked white papers for the underlying analysis, scope and limitations.
Explain policy goals and expected impacts
Communicate what each energy measure aims to achieve and how it is expected to contribute, helping the public understand its purpose and likely effectiveness.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 9)Highlight energy independence
Explain how renewable energy can reduce reliance on electricity imports, broadening the appeal of renewable investment.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 9)Give communities a role in shaping and choosing alternatives
Allow communities to shape and choose between credible energy solutions and project variants rather than simply accepting or rejecting a single project. For wind projects, strengthen municipal co-decision as an alternative to absolute vetoes.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (pp. 9, 10)Reduce political polarization
Use round tables, municipal capacity building and stronger cantonal or federal coordination to reduce conflict around wind projects.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 9)Raise ambition and harmonize PV requirements
Combine more ambitious cantonal PV policy with consistent requirements for PV on large new buildings and harmonized taxation of PV installations across cantons.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 9)Adopt MuKEn 2025 quickly
Accelerate cantonal implementation of more ambitious requirements for renewable electricity generation in new buildings.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 9)Improve the visibility and effectiveness of PV subsidies
Ensure residents know which PV support schemes are available, improve their visibility and transparency, and, where necessary, increase their financial value so that incentives can influence investment decisions.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 9)Reward fuller use of rooftops
Create financial incentives for property owners to cover a greater share of suitable roof space with solar panels.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 10)Harmonize and streamline wind planning and approvals
Align wind planning and permitting procedures across cantons to improve predictability, share best practices and shorten procedures, reducing lengthy legal processes and successive legal challenges.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 10)Make funding programmes more flexible
Allow cantons to support innovative projects that contribute to the energy transition, including through flexible residual funding for projects that fall outside standard funding categories.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 10)Use public ownership to promote greener electricity and efficiency
Encourage publicly owned utilities to offer greener electricity products, make green electricity the default, and pursue ambitious energy-efficiency measures, including rewards for customers who achieve strong efficiency gains.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 10)Explore new locations and scales for wind power
Assess industrial zones and off-grid areas as potentially suitable and more widely accepted locations for wind turbines, and explore the role of small and medium-sized installations, particularly in industrial zones and mountainous regions.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 10)Strengthen renewable-energy criteria in Energiestadt certification
Encourage more municipalities to join Energiestadt, give renewable-energy incentives greater weight in certification requirements, and introduce minimum PV expansion criteria that strengthen over time.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 10)Expand citizen-financed energy
Promote citizen-financed energy projects to increase knowledge, participation and empowerment, strengthen engagement and potentially reduce opposition.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 10)Support integrated and grid-friendly energy investments
Provide effective and transparent financial and institutional incentives for renewable-energy investment, integrated solutions and grid-friendly behaviour, including targeted support for combined upgrades such as installing solar PV and a heat pump together.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 11) Source: Second policy white paper on socio-political, community and market acceptance (p. 36)Make ZEVs and LEGs easy to join
Simplify participation in local energy communities for residents and companies while addressing potential impacts on shared grid costs.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 22)Use round tables to secure compromise
Use participation formats that help stakeholders reach effective compromises and record binding consent, including waivers of objections or referendums.
Source: Insights on current Solar PV and Wind Energy Deployment Policies in Switzerland (p. 14)Pair participation with local leadership
Use participatory processes, but also foster credible local initiative and leadership that can highlight synergies and reduce perceived trade-offs.
Source: Second policy white paper on socio-political, community and market acceptance (pp. 35, 36)Support peer learning
Create opportunities for early adopters and interested residents to exchange practical experiences with renewable energy, helping residents learn from one another.
Source: Second policy white paper on socio-political, community and market acceptance (p. 36)Build trust in people and processes
Strengthen confidence in technologies, responsible actors and decision processes through credibility, transparency, direct exchange and genuine co-design.
Source: Second policy white paper on socio-political, community and market acceptance (p. 36)Anticipate mobilization asymmetries
Plan for the possibility that a highly engaged minority can obstruct implementation even when a supportive majority exists, and respond with targeted measures.
Source: Second policy white paper on socio-political, community and market acceptance (p. 36)Increase ambition and harmonize PV policy
Reduce policy fragmentation through a harmonization and ratcheting-up process, while allowing cantons to complement federal investment grants with additional upfront support.
Source: Quantifying the degree of fragmentation of policies targeting household solar PV in Switzerland (pp. 18, 19)Remove unnecessary barriers to rooftop PV
Reform tax rules that discourage rooftop solar investment, including asset taxation and limits on tax deductions for PV investments in newer buildings.
Source: Quantifying the degree of fragmentation of policies targeting household solar PV in Switzerland (p. 19)No recommendations match this category.