Q: Does one address mean one apartment or one building?

An "address" in this index means a connection point to the grid — typically the main meter of a building, not an individual apartment. A 10-apartment building usually shares a single connection point and therefore counts as 1 in our figures; the exact number of units per building is computed via RegBL — EGID join where the DSO exposes it (Groupe E, 78 %), address-to-RegBL join for Romande Énergie (59 % match rate), commune-average RegBL for BKW, whose WMS map publishes neither. Across the three DSO areas, our 345,670 eligible addresses correspond to ≈ 554,000 individually-eligible households . Every tenant or owner can sign up to the LEC individually: eligibility is evaluated at the connection-point level and applies to every unit it serves. The very same data feeds the eligibility verdict at signup on /discover .

Question 1

How is the potential index calculated?

Accepted Answer

The index is simply the share of addresses (connection points) in your municipality that belong to a viable LEC. A LEC is called "viable" when its photovoltaic capacity reaches at least 5 % of the participants' subscribed power, as required by Article 14 of the Energy Ordinance (EnV). An index of 80 means 80 % of the addresses in your municipality can already join a viable LEC today.

Question 2

Why do some municipalities show "Out of scope"?

Accepted Answer

We currently only analyse municipalities served by BKW, Groupe E and Romande Énergie—620 municipalities, mainly in French-speaking Switzerland and the Mittelland. The other DSOs (SIG in Geneva, ewb in Bern, ewz in Zurich, AET in Ticino, etc.) do not yet publish a usable LEC map. As they open up their data, the analysis will expand.

Question 3

What do the High / Medium / Low tiers mean?

Accepted Answer

High (index ≥ 80): the vast majority of the municipality's addresses can join a viable LEC. Medium (50-79): between 50 % and 80 % of addresses are covered—some areas still need review. Low (1-49): only scattered eligible pockets, most of the territory remains to be analysed case by case.

Question 4

Why is the legal 5 % PV threshold important?

Accepted Answer

Article 14 EnV (Energy Ordinance) sets this threshold as a viability condition for a LEC: the photovoltaic capacity available within the perimeter must represent at least 5 % of the total subscribed power. This legal definition guarantees that a LEC can actually operate and offer a rebate on the grid usage tariff.

Question 5

What's the difference between the "transformer" and "substation" perimeters?

Accepted Answer

Transformer perimeter (≈ 500 m): the most local LEC, with a network rebate of up to 40 %. Substation perimeter (≈ 1.5 km): a wider area, rebate up to 20 %. An address can be eligible for both—it then benefits from the more attractive tariff. The index accounts for both perimeters.

Question 6

Is the data up to date?

Accepted Answer

Yes—the dataset is refreshed quarterly from the DSOs' public maps, the FSO RegBL register (buildings) and the SFOE Sonnendach data (solar potential). The date of the last update is shown in the statistics bar at the top of the page. Municipality boundaries follow the official FSO perimeters as of 1 January 2026.

Question 7

Does one address mean one apartment or one building?

Accepted Answer

An "address" in this index means a connection point to the grid — typically the main meter of a building, not an individual apartment. A 10-apartment building usually shares a single connection point and therefore counts as 1 in our figures; the exact number of units per building is computed via RegBL — EGID join where the DSO exposes it (Groupe E, 78 %), address-to-RegBL join for Romande Énergie (59 % match rate), commune-average RegBL for BKW, whose WMS map publishes neither. Across the three DSO areas, our 345,670 eligible addresses correspond to ≈ 554,000 individually-eligible households. Every tenant or owner can sign up to the LEC individually: eligibility is evaluated at the connection-point level and applies to every unit it serves. The very same data feeds the eligibility verdict at signup on /discover.

95 % of addresses at BKW, Groupe E and Romande Énergie are LEC-eligible.

Overview · Switzerland

The municipalities with the highest potential

All municipalities (2,182)

How the index is calculated

Ready to exercise your right to join a LEC?

An analysis parcel-by-parcel?