Switzerland finds itself on the cusp of a significant transformation of its energy landscape. Renewable forecasts estimate that by 2035, renewable power generation will jump to 31.4 terawatt-hours (TWh). This ambitious projection, detailed by GlobalData, emphasizes the country’s strategic focus on hydropower and solar initiatives, while navigating seasonal challenges inherent to its energy system.
Switzerland’s energy system is particularly impacted owing to seasonal fluctuations, posing a special challenge for providing energy supply and demand. The country depends on hydropower due to its geographical advantages, as it is the bedrock of its energy strategy. This is increasingly a reality during summer months, when hydropower and solar predominately drive electricity generation. The winter months present difficulties, necessitating a combination of pumped storage solutions and electricity imports to ensure supply security.
Strategic Focus on Solar Energy
Yet in recent years, Switzerland has stepped up its efforts to significantly increase the country’s solar energy capacity. According to projections, solar capacity will skyrocket starting off with 8.2 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in 2024. By 2035, it will soar to a staggering 32.1 GW! This growth is being driven by a number of supportive initiatives. These range from required rooftop photovoltaic (PV) installations to alpine solar installations built to harvest sunlight in mountainous areas.
The Swiss government strongly supports solar endeavors through multiple subsidy programs. A great case study is their Solar Express Program, which provides cash incentives to homeowners who install solar panels on their rooftops. These common sense measures will make it easier for the country to transition to clean, renewable energy sources and break our addiction to fossil fuels.
Balancing Hydropower and Seasonal Variability
Although solar PV is by far the fastest-growing segment of Switzerland’s energy market, hydropower continues to play a key role. In the context of a highly seasonal energy supply, large-scale hydropower generation and pumped storage systems are essential in balancing supply over the course of the year. During summer, hydropower and solar together provide ample energy. In winter, energy security relies heavily on stored water from pumped storage and imports from neighboring countries.
This seasonal unpredictability of the supply has posed a challenge for any secure electricity supply, but the Swiss government has a long history of prioritizing this need. Recent legislative measures, including the revised Electricity Act 2025 and the Federal Act on a Secure Electricity Supply with Renewable Energies, provide robust policy support for expanding renewable energy sources while ensuring grid reliability.
Challenges Ahead
Even with this bright future ahead for Switzerland’s energy transition, issues persist on both the policy and public fronts. Grid congestion continues to pose significant challenges to the successful integration of these new renewable projects. At the same time, supply gaps in the winter reveal the fragility of energy supply. Moreover, there’s increasing land pressure for utility-scale renewable installations, making it more difficult to increase capacity beyond this point.
Switzerland is leading the way in finding creative solutions to address these challenges. They want to improve grid infrastructure and develop land use policies that boost solar energy and other renewable sources. Through boldly addressing these challenges, Switzerland is looking to reinforce its reputation as a leader in sustainable energy generation.