Solar subsidies in Valais in 2026: what exists, what does not

In Valais, you often hear that “the canton subsidises solar”. That is only true for solar thermal and for heating systems, under the Buildings Programme. For photovoltaic panels, the canton says it itself: the application goes to Pronovo, after the works. Here is what a Valais homeowner actually receives in 2026, and why Valais remains one of the best cantons for producing.

The base: Pronovo’s one-off remuneration

The Confederation pays, after commissioning, 360 francs per kWp up to 30 kWp and 300 francs per kWp above that, for an installation added to an existing roof. The basic contribution of 200 francs only remains under 5 kW. For 10 kWp, around 3’600 francs. The rates are reviewed every year, Pronovo’s rate calculator is authoritative.

Two federal bonuses speak particularly to Valais: the altitude bonus for installations located above 1’500 metres, and the tilt bonus for installations at 75 degrees and more, typically on a facade, which produce more in winter when the sun is low and the snow reflects the light.

What the canton supports

The Valais Buildings Programme finances insulation, the replacement of a fossil or electric heating system with a heat pump, with an amount that depends on the coefficient of performance and is capped at 35% of the investment, and solar thermal for hot water. The canton guarantees these grants at least until the end of 2030. Photovoltaics is not among them, precisely because Pronovo already covers it.

The canton does however make solar compulsory on new buildings, and several municipalities, notably in tourist areas, have had one-off grants. A call to the municipality before signing costs five minutes.

The tax deduction, the second support

On an existing building, the net cost of the installation, one-off remuneration deducted, is taken off taxable income as maintenance expenses in the year of payment. The canton devotes a page to “optimising your taxes” through energy works, a sign that it is a deliberate lever. For many households, the tax saving weighs as much as Pronovo.

The Valais advantage that needs no application

Valais has the highest sunshine in French-speaking Switzerland. A well-oriented installation on the valley floor produces noticeably more there than a comparable roof on the Swiss Plateau, and at altitude the gap widens further, especially in winter. It is a permanent subsidy, paid every year by the sun, and over twenty-five years it weighs more than any bonus. Solar in winter also deserves a look at the figures before believing it produces nothing.

The order of the steps

1. Any municipal grant or heating subsidy is requested before the works.
2. Pronovo is requested after commissioning, with the grid connection certificate, generally through the installer.
3. The net invoice goes into the tax return for the year of payment.

SOLARSPLIT’s free online study calculates the one-off remuneration and the expected production for your roof and your altitude, then puts Valais installers in competition on an identical specification.