This follows Motion M 7/25, which the Cantonal Council declared admissible on 22 October 2025. The Cantonal Government is now submitting a partial revision of the Cantonal Energy Act for consultation. This consultation period runs until 31 January 2027 and aims to reduce the scope of Section 8c of the Cantonal Energy Act to the minimum required under federal law.
For project developers, building owners and property owners, this means one thing above all else: Schwyz’s current obligation to generate one’s own electricity in new buildings would be relaxed, but would not disappear entirely. Article 45a of the Federal Energy Act remains the governing provision. Under this, cantons must continue to require the use of solar energy for new buildings with more than 300 square metres of eligible floor area.
Less cantonal law, more federal minimum
Schwyz had introduced the obligation to generate one’s own electricity with the revision of the cantonal Energy Act in 2021. In practice, this requirement largely amounted to a compulsory installation of photovoltaic systems. The draft bill now published implements the political mandate from the cantonal council and removes those requirements that go beyond federal law.
This is particularly relevant for cost calculations in residential construction. The proposers of the motion justified their proposal, amongst other things, by citing additional construction costs and potential impacts on housing costs. At the same time, the canton continues to focus on self-generation of electricity for new and replacement buildings under current enforcement, which underlines the practical significance of the amendment for future planning permission procedures.
The threshold is 300 square metres
A complete U-turn is legally impossible. Since 1 January 2025, federal law has required the use of solar energy in new buildings with more than 300 square metres of eligible floor area. Schwyz now intends to bring § 8c KEnG into line with precisely this regulatory framework and adapt the cantonal exemptions accordingly.
It remains to be seen whether, and to what extent, the draft will be amended following the consultation process. For the time being, only the next step is clear. Comments may be submitted until 31 January 2027. For new-build projects in the canton of Schwyz, the coming months will therefore determine how much of the solar obligation remains at cantonal level.
