Guide · Switzerland
PV system with or without a battery?
Solar quotations often come with a battery included. Produce electricity during the day and use it in the evening: the idea is appealing. Still, it is worth making two separate decisions. A good solar installation does not need a battery to be worthwhile.
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PV system with or without a battery?
The PV system is usually the first economic step. A battery is a separate decision for greater self-consumption, self-sufficiency and flexibility.
Panels generate; a battery shifts the timing
Without a battery, solar electricity goes straight to appliances running at the time, with the surplus exported. A battery can save some of that surplus for later. It does not generate extra electricity, and some energy is lost in storage. Its value comes from avoiding grid purchases at another time of day.
What is using more of your own electricity worth to you?
You may want the strongest financial result, or you may also value using your own electricity after sunset. Both are reasonable goals, but they should not disappear into a single return figure. Compare the same PV system with and without storage to see which benefits belong to the panels and which genuinely come from the battery.
The key considerations
In 2026, Swiss household electricity costs a median 27.7 ct/kWh while export payments vary widely. That spread, storage losses and the purchase price determine the value of each shifted kilowatt-hour.
Swiss price framework 2026
WattBilanz assumptions, September 2026: new PV CHF 5,700 fixed plus CHF 1,760/kWp; new battery CHF 2,300 plus CHF 470/gross kWh; retrofit CHF 4,300 plus CHF 470/kWh. Installation and VAT included, incentives excluded.
The same Bern system, with and without a battery
For a fair comparison, both options use the same system in Bern (postcode 3011): 10 kWp, south-facing at 30°, and annual household use of 4,050 kWh. Imports cost 32 ct/kWh; exports receive 6 ct/kWh for energy plus 1.5 ct/kWh for guarantees of origin. The CHF 3,600 Pronovo grant is included.
| Annual metric | PV without battery | PV with 10 kWh battery |
|---|---|---|
| PV generation | 12,232 kWh | 12,232 kWh |
| Grid imports | 2,486 kWh | 164 kWh |
| Grid exports | 10,668 kWh | 8,088 kWh |
| PV self-consumption share | 12.8% | 33.9% |
| Self-sufficiency | 38.6% | 95.9% |
| Economic metric | PV without battery | PV with 10 kWh battery |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated PV cost | CHF 23,300 | CHF 23,300 |
| Estimated battery cost | CHF 0 | CHF 7,000 |
| Pronovo grant | − CHF 3,600 | − CHF 3,600 |
| Net investment | CHF 19,700 | CHF 26,700 |
| Annual savings | CHF 1,301 | CHF 1,850 |
| Simple payback | 15.1 years | 14.4 years |
| Result after 20 years | CHF 6,311 | CHF 10,301 |
In this model, the battery improves the 20-year result by about CHF 3,991 compared with the same PV system without storage. It assumes constant prices and generation and excludes financing, maintenance and any battery replacement. Actual tariffs and quotations can materially change the result.
The calculation peaks at 9 kWh, but I would also consider the near-equivalent range. For this example, I would lean toward its upper end: greater self-sufficiency gives me more breathing room if electricity prices change. That is my personal trade-off, not a price forecast.
Official and specialist sources
- SFOE: photovoltaic market – 2025 price study
- ElCom: electricity tariffs 2026
- Pronovo: one-off payment calculator
- SwissEnergy: home battery storage
- SwissEnergy: self-consumption
- European Commission: PVGIS
- WattBilanz: Pronovo, exports, guarantees of origin and tax
Sources and price assumptions last checked on 18 September 2026.
Continue with your own data
Start without storage, then add a battery in a second calculation. Keep the roof, demand and tariffs the same.