Energie21 GmbH (Basel)

Energie21 GmbH is a consulting and planning company in the fields of renewable energy and decarbonization. We have a broad experience with technologies and plants in the fields of solar energy and industry.

Our goal is to support the energy transition towards a sustainable economy and lifestyle with advice and action. We always seek the best possible solutions for our customers and support them in successful project planning and execution.

Care, respect and reliability are three of our most important values that guide our thoughts and actions.

Offer

Our range of services is continuously growing. Currently we offer the following services:

• Photovoltaic system design

• Roadmaps for decarbonization

• Impulse consultations renewable heating

• Energy checkups (consumption analyses)

• Actual state and potential analyses

• Energetic operation optimizations

• Building energy analyses

• Implementation support of projects

• Technology analyses and comparisons

• Energetic simulations and optimizations

In addition, we offer further customized consulting, planning and engineering services. Do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about our range of services or to send us an inquiry.

**Photovoltaics

We provide comprehensive advice on all topics related to photovoltaics:

• Technologies and designs

• Dimensioning and optimization

• self-consumption

• Costs (incl. subsidies) and profitability

• Risks and guarantees

• Operation and maintenance

• Other system components

Our consulting and planning services are based on a proven five-phase approach:

During the initial consultation, we assess your needs and goals and examine and demonstrate the options for a photovoltaic solution. We then plan a customized photovoltaic solution for you step-by-step and coordinate its implementation. In the second planning step, the feasibility is checked. The goal here is to clarify all fundamental questions about the project on the basis of a rough concept and to create a basis for decision-making. Other system components and solutions, such as battery storage, electric charging solutions or consumer communities, are also included in the process.

If you decide to continue with the project, the next step is to draw up a technical system concept, for which several binding offers are then obtained from proven photovoltaic installers (Solarprofis®) and compared. After the contract has been awarded to one of the providers, we will be happy to provide you with further support in handling all the implementation steps and supervise the installation work for you until the keys are handed over. Even after the commissioning of the system, we are available to you as a contact partner for questions or problems.

Contact us now for a non-binding discussion on the possibilities of a customized photovoltaic solution on your property.

Information on subsidies

Since May 2022, the federal government subsidizes feasibility and planning studies for photovoltaic systems on municipal buildings in Switzerland. As a rule, the subsidy amounts to 40% of the project costs. The funding campaign runs until October 31, 2023. Further information can be found on the website of EnergieSchweiz. In addition, photovoltaic systems continue to be subsidized with a one-time payment. The current subsidy rates can be found at www.pronovo.ch. We are also happy to support you in applying for subsidies.

Decarbonization

The decarbonization of industry and commerce requires new solutions. The previous ways of doing things and processes must be questioned and optimized, and new technologies, processes, energy sources and technologies must be considered. In some cases, deep decarbonization may require fundamental changes in operations, which requires long-term, forward-looking planning.

The goal of our decarbonization consulting service is to provide companies with a perspective and ways to decarbonize their operations in a concrete, step-by-step and cost-effective manner. To this end, a bottom-up approach is adopted. The starting point is individual technical measures, which are developed into consistent partial solutions and finally into overall solutions. Several solution variants are created and compared.

Our consulting services are based on the "Roadmap to Decarbonization" of the Energy Agency for Industry (enaw.ch/roadmap), which takes a holistic approach to consider all possibilities for decarbonization.

A project typically includes the following main steps:

• Clarification of the company's situation and goals

• Consultation on possible energy solutions

• Energetic and technical stocktaking at the site

• Definition of the scope and focus of the project

• Development and examination of technically feasible and economically viable measures and solution variants for decarbonization

• Quantification, evaluation and comparison of the solution variants

• Identification of further planning and implementation steps

This consulting service is aimed at all companies. It is particularly geared to the manufacturing sectors, which often have high energy requirements and additional complexities due to extensive and in some cases highly specialized processes and plants.

Our customers receive a tailor-made planning of concrete measures for decarbonization, which are coordinated with each other and in total can lead to decarbonization to "net zero" greenhouse gas emissions. This decarbonization planning can also serve as the basis for a subsequent review by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Contact us now for more information on decarbonization.

Funding Note

As of March 2022, the federal government provides funding for decarbonization consulting and planning. For more information on the funding requirements, please see the following link. We are also happy to assist you in applying for funding for decarbonization planning.

Frequently asked questions about photovoltaics

Questions

1. On which buildings are PV systems suitable?
2. Will the roof be affected by the construction of a PV system?
3. How do I proceed?
4. Do I need a building permit?
5. Does a photovoltaic system pay off?
6. How much is the subsidy?
7. How much is the feed-in tariff for solar power?
8. What is the importance of self-consumption? 9th What is the degree of self-sufficiency?
9. Does battery storage make sense?
10. Do solar systems work during power outages?

On which buildings are PV systems suitable?

PV systems can be installed on most building roofs. Roof surfaces that are used for a PV system should meet the following requirements:

• approx. 15 m2 usable area
• For pitched roofs: Orientation in the range between east (northeast) to west (northwest)
• relatively unshaded
• Roof condition ok / no renovation pending
• Construction of a PV system is permissible

PV systems can be installed on almost all existing roof types and shapes. An exception are fiber cement roofs containing asbestos. These should be renovated beforehand. Another exception are plain tile roofs with single covering. Here, the installation of PV modules is generally difficult. Due to the shape of the roof and aesthetic considerations, installation on tent and hipped roofs is sometimes rather unsuitable.

With certain roof constructions, the statics of the roof can also be critical, taking into account the additional load of the photovoltaic system (incl. ballasting). In case of doubt, this should be checked in advance by a structural engineer.

In certain zones and areas, there are also legal restrictions on the construction of a PV system. The exact restrictions vary from canton to canton (see also the notes under "Building permit").

Will the roof be affected by the construction of a PV system?

If planned and executed correctly, a PV system will not impair the function or service life of the roof.

With certain roof types, such as standing seam roofs, PV systems can only be installed under certain conditions and with mounting systems designed for this purpose. Here, the PV system should definitely be installed in consultation with the manufacturer of the roof.

In the case of flat roofs, a structural analysis, taking into account the additional load of the PV system, should generally be obtained from a qualified structural engineer before the construction of a PV system.

In addition, it is advisable to have the roof inspected by a specialist (roofer, plumber, carpenter, etc.) in order to check and document the condition of the roof before the PV system is built. Pending renovation measures on the roof should be carried out before the construction of a PV system.

How to proceed?

For the planning and construction of a PV system, the following procedure in 5 steps has proven itself:

1. Initial meeting

During an initial inspection, the basic suitability of a building can often already be assessed. In addition, the objectives (size, type, design, etc.) of the PV system can be determined. In addition, questions can be answered and clarified during and after the initial meeting.

For smaller and simpler projects (single-family homes, multi-family homes), binding offers for a PV system can often already be prepared on the basis of the information and photos taken during the initial inspection (→ directly to point 4).

2. Feasibility study

For larger projects, it is recommended to first prepare a feasibility study as a basis for decision-making. A first rough concept of the PV system is created and the PV system is analyzed with the help of simulation tools with regard to electricity yield, self-consumption share, costs, economic efficiency, loads, etc.). In this way, the feasibility, costs and profitability of the PV system can already be estimated relatively accurately.

3. Plant concept

After completion of the feasibility study, the technical system concept can be finalized, including module layout, mounting type, cable routing, wiring, component selection, as well as safety equipment (fire, lightning and overvoltage protection, fall protection). From this, binding, precise and comparable quotations can then be prepared.

4. Request for quotation

In the next step, several current competitor offers for the delivery and installation of the PV system (including all components) are obtained on the market. The offers must be compared in terms of costs and scope of delivery (products and services). For this purpose, adjustments may be necessary.

After evaluation of the bids, the contract is awarded to the bidder with the most economically advantageous bid. A contract for work and services is concluded with this bidder.

5. Implementation

The implementation phase begins with the submission of the necessary registrations and applications (connection application, installation notification, construction notification, registration for one-time compensation). In addition, a professional inspection of the roof and, if necessary, a structural analysis should be obtained before the PV system is implemented. Before and during the construction of the PV system, attention must be paid to, among other things, sufficient work safety and industry-compliant working conditions, as well as execution in accordance with the offer and with due care. Supervision of the construction work and technical acceptance by an independent PV planner can also be useful here.

Do I need a building permit?

In most cases today, there is only a notification requirement for the construction of a PV system. Exceptions are buildings in protection zones (core, site protection and monument protection zones), historic town centers, on cultural and natural monuments of cantonal or national importance, etc. In case of doubt, the conditions should be clarified in advance with the responsible authority (e.g. cantonal monument preservation office).

Is a photovoltaic system profitable?

The profitability of a PV system strongly depends on the self-consumption share of the solar electricity (i.e. the share of the produced electricity that is consumed on site; see also the section "What is the importance of the self-consumption share?" below) and the local electricity and feed-in tariffs. In addition, larger PV systems (with corresponding electricity demand) achieve lower specific costs (costs per unit of installed capacity), since the fixed costs of the system are less significant and economies of scale result.

A typical PV system on a single-family house with a size of approx. 5 to 15 kWp, which achieves a self-consumption share of 30%, usually pays for itself (based on today's tariffs) within a period of approx. 15 to 20 years. After that, the system will supply electricity for another 10 to 15 years.

With larger systems, higher self-consumption share and/or higher electricity and feed-in tariffs, a PV system can also pay for itself within approx. 10 to 15 years.

How much is the subsidy?

The subsidy (one-time payment) for a PV system by the federal government depends on the size of the system as well as the type of system. Currently, the one-time subsidy covers about 10-20% of the investment costs of a PV system. The currently valid subsidies can be calculated at https://pronovo.ch.

PV systems are an energetic measure in construction and can usually be claimed as a real estate expense for existing buildings (even if they increase in value), which results in a tax saving (according to the marginal tax rate).

In some cases, municipalities provide additional subsidies for PV systems. Inquire about this directly with the responsible office in your municipality.

How much is the feed-in tariff for solar power?

The feed-in tariff is set by the distribution network operator (DSO) and varies from DSO to DSO. It is also reduced in many cases from a certain plant size (e.g. from 30, 100, 3000 kVA). An overview of the current feed-in tariffs for all municipalities in Switzerland can be found at: https://www.vese.ch/pvtarif.

Typically, the feed-in tariffs are about 8 to 16 Rp./kWh. In addition, there is usually an additional remuneration for the guarantee of origin. This is between 2 and 5 Rp./kWh and must be transferred (sold) separately to a customer (often also the VBN).

What is the significance of the self-consumption share?

The self-consumption share (also: self-consumption quota; self-consumption degree) indicates which share of the produced solar electricity is consumed on site (i.e. in the building) before it flows into the power grid. The self-consumption share is usually calculated as an average for the year.

Since the electricity tariff for grid electricity is higher than the feed-in tariff for solar electricity, self-consumption of solar electricity is economically more worthwhile than feeding it into the grid.

The self-consumption percentage depends strongly on the size of the system (relative to electricity consumption) and on the temporal consumption profile. Smaller PV systems achieve higher self-consumption shares. Self-consumption can also be increased to some extent by appropriate consumer behavior, by using energy-intensive consumers such as washing machines, dryers or electric vehicles to use the solar electricity generated during daylight and sunshine.

Furthermore, larger and flexible consumers such as electrically heated hot water boilers or heat pumps can be switched on depending on the yield, which, however, requires an appropriate additional control system. A further increase in self-consumption can be achieved with battery storage. However, the economic viability of batteries is not given in most cases today (see also section "Does battery storage make sense?").

What is the degree of self-sufficiency?

The degree of self-sufficiency (also: self-sufficiency quota; degree of self-sufficiency) of a PV system indicates what proportion of the electricity consumption is covered by self-produced solar power. The degree of self-sufficiency is usually averaged over the year.

The degree of self-sufficiency depends, among other things, on the size of the system. With a relatively large PV system, a relatively high degree of self-sufficiency can be achieved. However, complete self-sufficiency (independence from electricity purchases from the grid) is hardly achievable and would usually be associated with very high costs. In most cases, a connection to the grid is still required in order to sell surplus solar power.

Does battery storage make sense?

Battery storage systems make it possible to store part of the solar power produced during the day and to use it after sunset or when there is insufficient solar power production, thus reducing the need to purchase electricity from the grid. In this way, the self-consumption share of a PV system and the degree of self-sufficiency can be significantly increased.

However, the savings in grid purchases achieved in this way must be weighed against the additional costs of a battery storage system. Here it can be seen that the costs of a battery storage system are mostly higher than the cost savings in electricity achieved with it. For this reason, battery storage systems are generally not economically viable today. However, if the primary goal is to achieve the highest possible degree of self-sufficiency from the electricity grid, battery storage can make a major contribution.

Do solar systems work in the event of a power outage?

Normally, PV systems are grid-connected. This means that the system is dependent on the power grid. If the