Solar subsidies in the canton of Vaud in 2026: federal, cantonal, municipal

You often read that “the canton of Vaud subsidises solar at 30%”. That is a confusion with the Buildings Programme, which supports insulation and heating replacement, not photovoltaic panels. For solar, the money comes first from the Confederation, sometimes from the municipality, and from the canton in one specific case only. Here is what applies in 2026.

Pronovo, the base of every Vaud project

The federal one-off remuneration is worth 360 francs per kWp up to 30 kWp, then 300 francs per kWp above that, for an installation added to an existing roof. The basic contribution of 200 francs now only applies to installations under 5 kW. Bonuses exist for roof-integrated installations, for steep tilts and for altitude. On 10 kWp, count on around 3’600 francs.

The application is submitted after commissioning, with proof of grid connection, generally by the installer. The rates change from year to year, Pronovo’s rate calculator is authoritative on the day of the application.

The cantonal grant: listed buildings only

The canton of Vaud has a “Solar photovoltaics and heritage” subsidy for listed buildings, where conservation constraints make the installation considerably more expensive. It covers 40% of the total cost, up to 50’000 francs, for a roof-integrated installation of at least 2 kW. If your house is listed or entered in the inventory, that is a file to open before any quote.

For other buildings, no direct cantonal subsidy on the panels. The canton does however support replacing a heating system with a heat pump, a project that pairs well with solar, with a flat 5’000 francs for a residential air-to-water heat pump and 7’500 francs for a geothermal probe.

The municipalities, to check one by one

Several Vaud municipalities pay their own grant for photovoltaics, from a few hundred to more than a thousand francs depending on the municipality and the capacity. The canton keeps a list of municipal subsidies on vd.ch, and the rule is the same everywhere: the application goes to the municipality, before the works, and an installation already fitted receives nothing.

The tax deduction

On an existing building, the net cost of the installation, subsidies deducted, is taken off taxable income as maintenance expenses, in the year of the invoice. For many households it is support of the same order as Pronovo. Check with your accountant whether a large invoice can be spread over two years.

The timing that makes the difference

• Cantonal and municipal subsidy: application approved before the first hammer blow. The canton puts it in black and white, no grant is awarded if the works have started.
• Pronovo: after commissioning, never before.
• Taxes: the year of payment.

Signing a quote and then looking for grants is the classic mistake. SOLARSPLIT’s free online study puts a figure on the one-off remuneration for your roof before putting installers in competition, and the course of a project places each step at the right moment.