Swiss Solar City

What Swiss Solar City does

Swiss Solar City AG, founded in 2015 in Basel, Switzerland, is an integrated solar energy provider focused exclusively on industrial and commercial clients in Switzerland. The company acts as a general contractor covering the full lifecycle of large-scale photovoltaic systems - planning, financing, construction, and long-term operation - with capacity ranges from a few hundred kWp (Noventa 250 kWp) to multi-megawatt installations (Kiener + Wittlin 3.16 MWp, Zürcher Ziegeleien 3,000 kWp, IKEA Itingen 2.5 MWp, Jansen 2.17 MWp).

The technology stack centers on industrial rooftop and ground-mounted PV systems, supported by an AI-based monitoring and optimization partnership announced in 2024 and an integrated ZEV/RCP self-consumption community offering (together with partners Blockstrom). The company owns and operates more than 90 of its own large-scale industrial plants generating 19,000 MWh per year and claims over 2,600 cumulative customer projects, with offices in Basel (HQ), Zürich, and Lausanne to cover both German-speaking Switzerland and Romandie.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: EPC services, long-term Solar Contracting (subscription-style recurring electricity sales), roof rental managed services, acquisition and repowering of third-party installations, and pre-financing of Swiss federal Einmalvergütung subsidies covering up to 30% of capex. The customer base spans manufacturing (Holcim, Stadler Rail, Stadler, Jansen, Lista, Huber Kunststoff, Kiener + Wittlin, Ferrowohlen), retail (IKEA), automotive (AMAG, ASAG), chemicals (DSM), energy (AEW Energie, Aventron, Noventa), and real estate (Procimmo, Zindel United), alongside institutional investors such as pension and insurance funds.

Name

Swiss Solar City

Legal name

Swiss Solar City AG

Website

https://swiss-solar-city.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Swiss Solar City AG is a Basel-based integrated solar EPC and contracting firm that finances, builds, and operates large-scale industrial and commercial photovoltaic systems for Swiss enterprises and institutional investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Solar EPC and Energy Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Electrical Work (1731)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar PV Power Plant EPC (Utility-Scale) (EUAEAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Utility-Scale PV EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) (EUACAGAB), Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB), Solar Balance-of-Plant EPC (Piles/Foundations, Trenching, Combiner Networks) (EUAEADAJ), Renewable Energy Industrial Facilities Construction (Solar, Wind, Storage) (IMAFADAD)

Keywords

• Industrial solar EPC
• Photovoltaic project financing
• Solar contracting services
• Commercial solar installation
• Solar operations maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. EPC Services (Engineering, Procurement, Construction): General contractor services for planning, engineering, procurement, and construction of large-scale photovoltaic installations. The company acts as a single point of contact for project execution, offering complete project development from initial analysis through to grid connection and commissioning.
2. Solar Contracting: Full-service contracting model where Swiss Solar City finances, plans, builds, operates and maintains solar installations. Customers purchase produced electricity at advantageous rates without investment or operating costs. The company bears entrepreneurial risk and optimizes levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for customers.
3. Roof Rental: Property owners rent their roof space to Swiss Solar City for large solar installations. The company builds, finances, operates the installation and sells electricity to tenants. Property owners receive regular rental and electricity sales income without entrepreneurial risk.
4. Solar Installation Acquisition: Swiss Solar City purchases existing large solar installations from property owners, renovates, optimizes and expands them through repowering, and continues operation. Sellers receive fair sale proceeds and benefit from optimized electricity costs.
5. Subsidy Pre-financing: The company pre-finances one-time investment subsidies (Einzelvergütung/EIV) from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, which covers up to 30% of installation costs. Customers pay only the net investment amount with subsidy deducted.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Swiss Solar City plans, builds, finances, and operates large-scale industrial photovoltaic solar power plants for commercial and industrial customers in Switzerland, acting as a single-point general contractor. It sells EPC project delivery, solar contracting (where it finances the system and supplies electricity), roof rental, ZEV self-consumption community models, and ongoing operation and optimization services. It targets enterprises with large roof or land surfaces as well as institutional investors seeking renewable infrastructure exposure.

Product overview

Swiss Solar City is an independent Swiss company offering comprehensive solar energy solutions for industrial and commercial enterprises. Their portfolio includes four core services: Planning (designing optimized solar installations), Construction (acting as general contractor for PV systems), Financing (up to 100% financing options including contracting models), and Operation & Optimization (ongoing management of 90+ owned solar plants). Additional offerings include Smart Contracting for zero-capital solar deployment, ZEV self-consumption community models, EPC services, roof rental options, solar system purchases/repowering, and subsidy pre-financing. The company operates over 2,600 projects and maintains more than 90 large-scale industrial solar installations in Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Solar EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) End-to-end engineering, procurement and construction service for large-scale industrial photovoltaic installations on rooftops and ground-mounted sites, delivered as a single-point general contractor for industrial and commercial clients in Switzerland.
• Smart Solar Contracting Full-service contracting model where Swiss Solar City finances, plans, builds, operates and maintains an industrial solar plant and sells the produced electricity to the customer, eliminating upfront capital investment while delivering electricity rates typically below local utility references.
• Roof Rental Model Service model in which property owners rent their roof space to Swiss Solar City for a large solar installation; the company finances, builds, operates the system and sells the electricity to on-site tenants, providing the property owner with regular rental and electricity-sales income without entrepreneurial risk.
• Solar Installation Acquisition and Repowering Service under which Swiss Solar City purchases existing large solar installations from owners, then renovates, optimizes and expands them through repowering, and continues to operate them — providing sellers with sale proceeds while benefiting from optimized LCOE.
• Subsidy Pre-financing (Einmalvergütung / EIV) Financing service that pre-finances one-time investment subsidies (Einzelvergütung/EIV) from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy covering up to 30% of installation costs, so customers only pay the net (post-subsidy) investment amount.
• ZEV / RCP Self-Consumption Community Model Self-consumption community (Zusammenschluss zum Eigenverbrauch / ZEV in German, Regroupement pour la consommation propre / RCP in French) service that lets building owners allocate solar electricity to all on-site residents and tenants, optimizing total cost of solar electricity and self-consumption rates.
• PV Plant Operation and Optimization Services Long-term operation and optimization service for industrial PV plants, including predictive maintenance, regular cleaning, periodic upkeep, technical and commercial management, and AI-supported monitoring to maximize energy yield and reduce LCOE.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average cost savings of CHF 12.3/kWh for customers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AEW Energie AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor energy company partner for whom Swiss Solar City has built multiple projects including the first ground-mounted installation in Canton Aargau (622 kWp in Spreitenbach). Collaborative relationship on large-scale solar developments.
• NomagminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in the solar industry network.
• AventroncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company partner co-owner of Switzerland's largest solar installation in Onnens with Swiss Solar City AG.
• CASGRE EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy solutions partner within the professional network.
• Carve ZurichminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChannel partner based in Zürich for solar solutions distribution.
• SpikelandsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDesign and concept partner for the company's branding and website (thedigitalnatives.ch), listed as partner.
• Artificial Intelligence Technology PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic AI partnership for solar power plant management and optimization. Featured in RTS interview as a milestone for innovative, sustainable solar energy solutions, combining renewable energy with advanced technology.
• Solar AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in the Kiener + Wittlin project, one of Switzerland's largest PV installations at 3.16 MWp.
• Procimmo SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate company and property owner for Switzerland's largest solar installation in Onnens, co-owned with Swiss Solar City AG and Aventron.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BKW Energie AG: Large Swiss utility and energy services provider with growing C&I solar and contracting offerings. Competes for the same industrial customers but as part of a much broader energy portfolio.
• Axpo Holding AG: Switzerland's largest renewable energy producer, with utility-scale and industrial solar operations. Overlaps in C&I solar EPC and renewable asset ownership, but competes as part of a full energy-utility platform.
• Alpiq Holding AG: Swiss electricity producer and energy services provider active in renewables, including solar for industrial customers. Competes as a broad energy-services incumbent rather than a solar specialist.

Direct peers

• Solvatec AG: Swiss PV EPC and contracting company directly comparable in product, customer base, and Swiss market focus. Notably, Swiss Solar City's CEO Vahan Bammerlin was previously CTO/Partner of Solvatec, making it a near-clone competitor.
• IBC Solar AG: German-headquartered international PV EPC and project developer with a Swiss subsidiary. Competes in industrial and commercial rooftop/ground-mount installations with a similar EPC + O&M business model.
• Energie 360°: Swiss energy services company offering solar, heating, and e-mobility solutions to commercial and industrial customers. Overlaps directly with Swiss Solar City in C&I solar EPC and contracting in the Swiss market.
• EWS Schönau eG: German renewable-energy utility and citizen-owned cooperative active in rooftop solar, contracting, and citizen energy communities. Highly comparable operating model in solar contracting and ZEV-style community solar.

Regional players

• CKW (Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke AG): Central Switzerland utility offering solar, energy services, and contracting. Comparable C&I solar offering but regionally concentrated in Central Switzerland, providing a regional competitive overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swiss-solar-city

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swiss Solar City