Switzerland’s Greens have gathered enough signatures to force a vote on a far-reaching solar initiative. On December 10th the party submitted 134,000 signatures to the Federal Chancellery—well above the 100,000 needed for a popular initiative. It is the first time in a decade the party has raised the necessary support on its own.
The proposal, formally titled “For a secure supply of renewable energies (Solar Initiative)”, would require almost all suitable roofs and building facades in Switzerland to be fitted with solar panels. Exceptions would apply where heritage protection or other overriding interests make installation disproportionate.
Lisa Mazzone, the Greens’ president, said the measure would accelerate the energy transition while protecting both climate and nature, and would allow Switzerland to avoid relying on overpriced and dangerous nuclear power. Expanding domestic solar capacity, the party argues, would also reduce the need to purchase carbon offsets abroad.
Opposition is already stiffening. Property owners object to mandatory investment costs at a time when feed-in tariffs are falling and confidence in future price guarantees has waned. Solar installations in Switzerland remain expensive by European standards, weakening the financial case further. Utilities and grid operators warn that a surge in decentralised rooftop generation could strain a grid designed primarily to move electricity from central sources. They prefer large alpine photovoltaic parks, which can be linked to infrastructure built to fit the current grid. Managing seasonal and midday peaks in solar output is another challenge: without adequate storage, grid operators are forced to dump excess electricity.
The Federal Chancellery will now verify the signatures before the initiative moves towards a nationwide vote.
More on this:
Green Party announcement (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
