Home batteries in Switzerland: installation, grid connection, subsidies and recycling

Who may install

In Switzerland only holders of an installation permit under the Low-Voltage Installation Ordinance (NIV) may carry out electrical installations. According to the Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI), the restricted permit for photovoltaics covers the system only up to the inverter output; storage, building wiring and connection require an electrical installation company.

Before starting, the company files the installation notice and the technical connection request with the grid operator. On completion it issues the safety certificate (SiNa) with the test report. Since 1 July 2021 generating plants on the low-voltage grid no longer need plan approval from ESTI; grid operators report them to ESTI.

Grid connection: WV-CH and the 3.7 kVA rule

The technical connection conditions of your distribution system operator apply. They are based on the WV-CH 2025 rules and the VSE industry recommendation NA/EEA-NE7-CH with the Swiss country setting of the inverter. There is no national list of approved inverters: the grid operator checks manufacturer declarations and certificates.

WV-CH 2025 allow consumer, generating and storage units of at most 3.7 kVA on one phase; generating plants are in principle connected symmetrically on three phases, and the rules also apply to storage. For the Heiwit devices this means:

• VIRGO 3K (single-phase, 3 kW): below the 3.7 kVA limit.
• VIRGO 4.6K and 6K (single-phase): only with power limited to 3.7 kVA or an exception from the grid operator.
• LYBRA 6K, 10K and 12K (three-phase): the usual choice for detached houses with a 3 × 400 V connection.

The Heiwit devices are certified to the Italian standard CEI 0-21. These certificates do not replace Swiss requirements: have your installer clarify suitability with the grid operator before ordering.

Fire protection and location

For home batteries the main reference is the fire-protection leaflet "Lithium-ion batteries" of the Association of Cantonal Fire Insurers (VKF, 2021 edition). Up to 15 kWh per fire compartment it recommends a suitable room with EI 30 fire resistance (such as a basement or plant room), no installation in escape routes and at least 2.5 m from combustible materials; up to 100 kWh a separate EI 60 fire compartment or installation outdoors. The low-voltage installation standard (NIN), SNR 460712 and SIA 2061 also apply.

The leaflet is expressly limited to lithium-ion batteries; whether the fire authorities apply it by analogy to sodium-ion storage is not settled uniformly. With two or three Heiwit modules (20 to 30 kWh), plan for the 15 to 100 kWh requirements and agree on the location early with your installer. The full revision of the fire-protection regulations (BSV 2026) is to include a section on battery storage; according to Swissolar it is planned to enter into force in autumn 2027.

Stationary batteries outside buildings generally require a building permit. The Heiwit batteries are approved for indoor use only (IP20) anyway.

Subsidies

There is no federal subsidy for battery storage in homes or businesses; Pronovo's one-off remuneration only covers the PV system. For farms, the Confederation and cantons support storage with up to CHF 200.– per kWh; this programme ends at the end of 2026.

• Cantons of Schaffhausen and Thurgau (since January 2026): a one-off CHF 1’000.– for batteries of 10 kWh or more, at most a quarter of the investment.
• Canton of Neuchâtel: new support programme for battery storage.
• City of Zurich (since August 2026): CHF 1’000.– plus CHF 100.– per kWh, with a PV system and energy management.
• Other municipalities: programmes change often; search by postcode on energiefranken.ch by SwissEnergy.

New rules since 2026

• Refund of the grid usage fee: since 1 January 2026, storage systems with end consumption can claim it for electricity taken from the grid, stored and fed back (Art. 14a StromVG, Art. 18d–i StromVV); a suitable metering system is required.
• Local electricity communities (LEG): since January 2026 participants in the same municipality can trade solar power among themselves, with a 40% discount on the grid usage tariff (20% if a transformation level is used). Storage may be used for this.
• Feed-in remuneration: without an agreement with the grid operator it follows the quarterly average market price; for systems under 30 kW a minimum of 6 Rp./kWh applies. The lower the remuneration, the more self-consumption via the battery pays off.
• Grid-friendly tariffs: grid operators may offer time-differentiated tariffs and contracts limiting feed-in (Art. 17c StromVG), for example models that cap feed-in at 60% of DC power and pay more in return.

Disposal and recycling

In Switzerland batteries must not go in the household waste. INOBAT organises take-back and recycling on behalf of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). It is financed by the advance recycling fee that manufacturers and importers declare and pay to INOBAT for every battery placed on the market; INOBAT lists sodium-ion batteries as a separate category.

At the end of its life you hand the battery in at a collection point. On request we tell you the take-back options.

Checklist before buying

• Know your annual consumption and PV power and estimate the size (Battery sizing).
• Clarify the connection: single-phase or three-phase, main fuse, space in the meter board.
• Choose the location: dry, indoors, fire protection according to VKF, floor load.
• Hire an electrical installation company: installation notice, technical connection request, safety certificate.
• Apply for subsidies before ordering if your canton or municipality requires it.
• Check your grid operator's tariff: feed-in remuneration, dynamic tariffs, refund of the grid usage fee.