Short answer
What you need to know first.
Self-consumption means solar power is used or stored at the place of production instead of first being fed into the grid. In Aargau, before the PV quote, owners should clarify whether simple self-consumption is enough, whether a ZEV within one building fits, whether a vZEV via the same grid connection point is possible, or whether another local electricity model makes more sense. Only then can system size, battery, metering scheme, billing and grid-operator registration be planned reliably.
Important
This page is general guidance and not legal, tax, tenancy-law, incentive or grid-connection advice. Whether ZEV, vZEV, practical model or LEG is permissible and sensible for a property in Aargau depends on ownership structure, grid connection point, distribution grid, metering infrastructure, contracts and current requirements of the responsible bodies.
Decision points
What determines the right path.
The value of self-consumption depends on the consumption profile, not roof area alone. EnergieSchweiz describes self-consumption as direct use of self-generated solar power; grid supply remains necessary when production and consumption do not coincide in time. Daily profile, heat pump, water heater, wallbox, business loads and controllable consumers must therefore be known before sizing.
ZEV, vZEV, practical model and LEG are different models. Swissolar explains the ZEV as shared self-consumption where several parties act as one customer towards the utility. Since 2025, the virtual ZEV has been described as a model using grid-operator meter data; local electricity communities are possible from 2026 and, unlike ZEV, use the public grid.
The metering concept determines whether the project works in practice. Simple self-consumption, ZEV, vZEV, storage, feed-in and multiple consumers change meters, data flows and billing. Clarifying this only after installation risks rework, incomplete quotes or an operating model that does not fit the building.
For tenants and condominium ownership, billing matters as much as technology. EnergieSchweiz notes that cost and tariff limits apply for self-consumed electricity billed to tenants in a ZEV. Owners and property managers therefore need clear roles, contracts and billing logic before project start.
A battery is a tool, not a substitute for self-consumption planning. EnergieSchweiz classifies storage as a possible measure but notes that not every battery is economical. In Aargau, owners should first check which loads can be shifted and which community model fits; only then can battery size be assessed sensibly.
Sequence
How the project stays cleanly managed.
- 1
Record consumptionannual use, daily load, seasonal loads, heat pump, water heater, wallbox, business operation and planned additional consumers. This creates the basis for self-consumption share, battery question and possible shared use.
- 2
Define the participant groupdistinguish detached home, apartment building, condominium ownership, commercial site or neighbourhood. Then assess whether simple self-consumption, ZEV, vZEV, practical model or LEG can actually fit the property.
- 3
Clarify grid and metering route with the responsible distribution grid operator: connection point, smart-meter availability, meter arrangement, feed-in, battery operation and data provision belong before the final quote. In Aargau, the specific grid operator must be checked property by property.
- 4
Define operating and billing modelwho operates the system, who buys electricity, who invoices, which costs are passed on and how entries or exits are handled. Especially for tenants or property managers, this logic should be in place before installation.
- 5
Size the PV system technically to fitalign roof layout, inverter, self-consumption control, battery option, wallbox and monitoring with the chosen model. A system planned only for maximum yield can become unnecessarily complex or economically weaker in a local electricity model.
- 6
Bundle documents and responsibilitiesgrid-operator registration, Pronovo data, metering scheme, contracts, billing service, operator information and later monitoring access should be kept in one dossier. This keeps the project traceable after commissioning.
Checklist
Questions to settle before the quote.
- Clarify self-consumption profile before system size, storage and billing
- Separate ZEV, vZEV, practical model and LEG clearly
- Align metering concept, participant group and grid operator early
- Do not start tenant, business or neighbourhood models without contract and billing logic
FAQ
Common questions on this topic.
Sources
Official sources & references.
The responsible authorities are decisive. Always verify binding details – amounts, deadlines and conditions – for your specific property against the current status of the respective authority.