Commercial solar in Upper ValaisDuty for new builds, roofs.

Rules for businesses in Upper Valais

In the Canton of Valais, for systems that use renewable energy and are sufficiently well integrated, a notification replaces the permit procedure (BauV, SGS 705.100). It goes to your commune at the latest 30 days before work starts. In protection zones and for protected buildings, a building application is still needed.

There is also a cantonal duty to generate electricity. According to the canton’s energy page, new buildings and extensions must generate at least 20 W per m² of energy reference area, at most 30 kW. The same applies when the roof covering is renewed. There are exceptions for small extensions, buildings with only a north side and buildings for seasonal use, among others. Buildings with more than 500 m² of roof area must generate electricity themselves within 25 years of the law coming into force. We clarify with the commune before the quote which rule affects your business.

Subsidies and one-off payment

We did not find a cantonal programme for photovoltaics. The canton subsidises solar thermal systems. The federal one-off payment (Einmalvergütung) through Pronovo applies to your system. From 100 kWp you receive the one-off payment for large systems, below that the one for small systems. Systems without self-consumption between 2 and 150 kWp can receive a high one-off payment. We submit the application. On request, we can pre-finance the subsidy. The guide explains the costs.

For tax purposes, the general depreciation rules apply to business assets. Clarify the details with your tax adviser.

Self-consumption in your business

Many operators work in Upper Valais, for example EnBAG Netze, RELL and Visp Energie Dienste. Commercial tariffs differ from utility to utility, so we calculate with your load profile. Hotels, cable cars, trades and farms often have high consumption in winter. Steeply mounted modules and facades, which also deliver power in snow, then count. We size the substructure and fixings for snow load and wind. More under solar systems for businesses.