Short answer
What you need to know first.
In Schaffhausen, investment support for photovoltaic systems primarily comes from the federal scheme through Pronovo: KLEIV below 100 kW, GREIV from 100 kW, HEIV without self-consumption. Cantonal funding logic becomes relevant when battery storage, bidirectional charging, building envelope work or a special project is added. The cantonal application must be filed before installation starts.
Important
As of 2026, this page separates federal PV incentives, cantonal add-on logic and ongoing feed-in or guarantee-of-origin revenue. It is not a funding approval; Pronovo, the Schaffhausen energy funding portal, the energy office and the responsible grid operator are authoritative for the specific property.
Decision points
What determines the right path.
The first factor is responsibility: the Schaffhausen funding page states that photovoltaic systems are supported by the federal government, while the canton mainly covers thermal solar systems in multi-family buildings under solar incentives. For a rooftop PV system, Pronovo is therefore the primary incentive anchor.
System size determines the Pronovo programme: the SFOE names KLEIV for small PV systems below 100 kW and GREIV for large systems from 100 kW; both are limited to a maximum of 30 percent of the investment cost of reference systems. This threshold belongs in the sizing before the quote.
Without self-consumption, different instruments apply: the SFOE names the high one-time remuneration HEIV for PV systems without self-consumption and, from 150 kW, separate auctions for HEIV and the sliding market premium. This affects large roof or special systems differently from a typical owner-occupied home project.
The battery is the concrete Schaffhausen cantonal add-on: the 2026 energy funding programme lists CHF 1,000 per system for stationary batteries connected to grid-tied solar power systems, capped at 25 percent of the total investment of the supported measure.
The deadline decides cantonal contributions: the Schaffhausen energy funding programme requires applications before construction or installation starts. Scaffolding or material delivery is not yet counted as construction start there; the actual energy measure is.
EKS and guarantees of origin are not investment incentives: EKS pays for guarantees of origin only for systems up to and including 500 kWp, with Pronovo certification, GO registration, a feed-in contract and a GO standing order. This improves ongoing revenue, but does not replace a Pronovo or cantonal approval.
Sequence
How the project stays cleanly managed.
- 1
Define the project typefirst clarify whether this is a normal self-consumption system, a system without self-consumption, a battery, bidirectional charging or a special project such as agri-photovoltaics. This classification decides whether Pronovo alone is enough or whether the Schaffhausen energy funding portal also becomes relevant.
- 2
Check the Pronovo categoryset installed capacity and self-consumption model before the quote. Below 100 kW the federal route leads to KLEIV, from 100 kW to GREIV; without self-consumption, HEIV or auctions for systems from 150 kW must be checked.
- 3
Define Schaffhausen add-onsbefore installation starts, check whether a stationary battery with CHF 1,000, a bidirectional charging station with CHF 2,000, a building-envelope add-on with at least 30 W per m² energy reference area or a special project is relevant.
- 4
Submit in timecantonal applications have run fully online through energiefoerderung.sh.ch since 2021 and must be submitted before construction or installation starts. The canton recommends waiting for the approval; a complete application is usually reviewed within one month.
- 5
Run grid and metering in parallelcoordinate connection, meter, safety certificate and later feed-in with the grid operator. In the EKS area, GO remuneration additionally requires Pronovo certification, GO registration, feed-in contract and GO standing order.
- 6
Document tax and net effectthe Schaffhausen funding programme notes that energy-saving and environmental-protection investments on existing private property may be treated like maintenance costs for tax purposes. Funding, invoices and payment evidence therefore belong in a clean net-cost calculation.
- 7
Submit project completionafter implementation come completion submission, review, final payment letter and payout. Under Schaffhausen’s general terms, contributions generally expire if they are not claimed within two years of approval.
Checklist
Questions to settle before the quote.
- Separate Pronovo EIV for KLEIV below 100 kW, GREIV from 100 kW and HEIV without self-consumption
- Check the CHF 1,000 battery contribution and 25 percent cap before the storage quote
- Submit the application via the Schaffhausen energy funding portal before installation starts
- Do not mix EKS guarantees of origin, feed-in contract and Pronovo certification with investment incentives
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.
- Solar incentives SchaffhausenCanton Schaffhausen
- Energy funding programme 2026Canton Schaffhausen Building Department
- Federal photovoltaic incentivesSwiss Federal Office of Energy SFOE
- Pronovo one-time remunerationPronovo AG
- EKS guarantees of origin factsheetElektrizitätswerk des Kantons Schaffhausen AG