RCP setup
Updated
by Nicolas Vodoz
Definition and General Operation
Since 2018, with the entry into force of the revision of the Energy Act (EnA), it is possible to create self-consumption communities (RCP) in Switzerland. An RCP makes it possible to group several final electricity consumers into a single consumer and a single customer in the eyes of the distribution system operator (DSO), with the aim of consuming common photovoltaic electricity production, produced for example on the roof of their building.
An RCP is traditionally formed within a single building, with a single DSO meter installed at the building's electrical input. The owner or the community of co-owners (PPE) then becomes the electricity supplier for the residents, who waive their basic supply from the DSO. Appointed as the person responsible for the RCP, the owner then mandates a company, such as Climkit, for metering management and billing within the RCP.
Since January 1, 2025, it is possible to form an RCP with neighboring buildings using the distribution grid to exchange the solar electricity produced. In this case, the DSO creates a virtual meter which results from the sum of the DSO meters installed in each building, thus allowing for a single invoice. This is referred to as a virtual RCP. Apart from these differences in general metering, the rules for formation and operation are the same, whether an RCP consists of one or several buildings.
The RCP is considered a single customer, and its manager is the sole point of contact for the DSO, which bills the electricity withdrawn by the RCP and remunerates, at the feed-in tariff, the injected solar surplus. If several DSO meters are used for metering, the costs of using and maintaining these meters are also billed to the RCP.
Conditions for Implementation
To set up an RCP, the following conditions must imperatively be met:
- The total photovoltaic (PV) power must correspond to at least 10% of the grid connection power. For example, a building with a connection power of 125 A must be equipped with a PV system of at least 8.7 kWp, which represents about twenty photovoltaic panels.
- If the RCP is set up in an existing building, the written agreement of the residents interested in joining the RCP is required.
- If the RCP is formed between several buildings, they must be connected to the same coupling point on the low-voltage grid (< 1 kV).
Steps for Implementation
1. Initial verification with the DSO
If several buildings are involved, it is necessary to consult the DSO by providing the address of the main building, for example the one on which a new photovoltaic system is planned. The DSO should be asked to identify neighboring buildings that can participate in the RCP. This request can be made by any interested person. The DSO responds within 14 days with a list of eligible buildings based on the electrical grid topology.
2. Request for formation and appointment of the person responsible
The request for the formation of the RCP is made by the electricity installer mandated by the owner during the request for connection of the building or production facility via the dedicated form provided by the DSO and signed by all future members of the RCP.
A person responsible and point of contact for the RCP vis-à-vis the DSO must also be designated. This is generally the owner or the PPE. In the case where the RCP is made up of several buildings with different owners, the latter must agree to designate one. It is usually the one who has the main PV system and who seeks, through this expanded RCP, to sell their production to residents of neighboring buildings. It is recommended to establish an agreement between the owners on how the RCP will be operated.
The DSO then has three months to examine the request. Residents not wishing to join the RCP remain customers of the DSO and the DSO will deduct their consumption from the global invoice sent to the RCP without the need to modify the wiring. When this resident leaves the accommodation, their apartment can easily be integrated into the RCP.
In an existing building
If the RCP is established in a building with existing leases, it is essential to obtain the agreement of each tenant. In the case of a PPE, the agreement of each co-owner is necessary. The letter template below can be used to inform residents and collect their consent for the creation of an RCP:
In a new building
If the premises are free of any lease at the time the RCP is formed (for example, during a move or in the case of a new building), the owner can require new tenants to join the RCP. This obligation can be integrated into the lease agreement or stipulated in a separate electricity supply contract.
Lease agreement clause for RCP
The landlord is the representative of the self-consumption community (RCP), responsible for the supply of electricity, metering, and billing of tenants. The costs attributable to the tenant are as follows: Costs for electricity withdrawn from the grid
- Costs for self-consumed solar electricity
- Costs of individual meters
- Management fees (meter reading, administration, and billing)
The landlord may outsource the management of the RCP to a third-party provider. In any case, the landlord cannot be held responsible in the event of a breach of electricity supply from the grid (blackout) or the photovoltaic installation.
3. Planning of the metering system
DSO meters can be used for the internal metering of the RCP, even if consumers have waived their individual connection. Due to the high monthly cost of DSO meters (CHF 6 to 10 per month), it is advisable to limit them as much as possible, particularly at building inputs, and to prioritize the installation of private meters to measure internal consumption (apartments and common areas) as well as the production of the various photovoltaic systems.
Furthermore, private meters offer significant advantages: in the event of a failure or dispute over metering, the owner can directly call upon an independent electrical installer without depending on the DSO. Moreover, unlike DSO meters which only transmit data once a day, private meters can allow real-time monitoring, which is essential for adjusting consumption habits and optimizing the use of solar production.
Planning the metering system is a crucial aspect that requires a careful evaluation of the situation, taking into account the one-time installation costs and the recurring costs that will be borne by the owner and consumers during the operational phase. All these elements must be determined by the owner and their representatives, engineers, and electrical installers, before the start of the installation work.
4. Installation and commissioning
The installer proceeds with the installation of the photovoltaic panels and modifications to the metering system, including the removal of DSO meters, the installation of new private meters, as well as the potential preparation of locations for input and production DSO meters.
Integration of DSO meter data
To manage the RCP, if several DSO meters are retained, Climkit needs their readings in the same way it collects data from private meters. Climkit therefore coordinates with the DSO to organize the daily and digital transfer (via FTP) of DSO meter data in the standardized SDAT-CH (Ebix) format to the Climkit platform. A one-time fee, calculated based on the number of meters, is billed to perform this integration.
5. Administrative setup
Climkit contacts the owner responsible for the RCP to establish the management contract and settle the administrative procedures necessary for the operation of the RCP, such as defining the billing rates and the list of members. The owner also signs a power of attorney allowing the DSO to send its invoice directly to Climkit.
6. Operational phase
The RCP then moves into the operational phase, and Climkit manages the RCP by generating individual statements for consumers based on their consumption recorded from private meters and DSO meters. For each consumer, the share of electricity coming from the photovoltaic installation is distinguished from that coming from the grid.
If the owner has opted for the full operating method, Climkit bills the consumers directly and manages the payments. Thanks to the power of attorney signed with the DSO, Climkit receives and periodically pays the invoice related to the withdrawal of the RCP. Once a year, a statement is established in favor of the owner responsible for the RCP to allocate the income related to the sale of solar electricity.
In the case where several photovoltaic systems belonging to different owners are part of the RCP, the annual statement clearly details the production of each system, thus allowing the income to be distributed between the owners according to their own agreement.
