Setting up an RCP

Definition and General Operation

Since 2018, with the entry into force of the revision of the Energy Act (LEne), it has been possible to establish Self-Consumption Groups (RCP) in Switzerland. An RCP allows aggregating multiple final electricity consumers into a single consumer and customer from the perspective of the distribution system operator (DSO), with the goal of consuming shared photovoltaic electricity production, for example, generated on their building's roof.

An RCP is traditionally established within a single building, with a single DSO meter installed at the electrical entry point of the building. The owner or the co-ownership association (PPE) then becomes the electricity supplier for the residents, who waive their basic supply from the DSO. Designated as the RCP manager, the owner then mandates a company, such as Climkit, for metering management and invoicing within the RCP.

Since January 1st, 2025, it has been possible to constitute an RCP involving neighboring buildings by using the distribution network to exchange solar electricity produced. In this case, the DSO creates a virtual meter resulting from the sum of the DSO meters installed in each building, thus allowing a single invoice to be issued. This is referred to as a virtual RCP. Apart from these differences in overall metering, the rules for constitution and operation are the same, whether an RCP is established for one or more buildings.

The RCP is considered a single customer, and its manager is the sole contact point for the DSO, which invoices the electricity drawn by the RCP and remunerates the surplus solar energy fed back at the buy-back tariff. If multiple DSO meters are used for metering, the usage and maintenance costs for these meters are also billed to the RCP.

Conditions for Implementation

To implement an RCP, the following conditions must be strictly met:

• The total photovoltaic (PV) power must correspond to at least 10% of the grid connection power. For example, a building with a 125 A connection must be equipped with a PV system of at least 8.7 kWp, which represents about twenty photovoltaic panels.
• If the RCP is established in an existing building, the written agreement of the residents interested in joining the RCP is required.
• If the RCP is constituted between several buildings, these must be connected to the same low-voltage grid coupling point (<1 kVA).

Implementation Steps

1. Initial Check with the DSO

If multiple buildings are involved, it is necessary to consult the DSO by communicating the address of the main building, for example, the one where a new photovoltaic system is planned for installation. The DSO should be asked to identify neighboring buildings eligible to participate in the RCP. This request can be made by any interested party. The DSO will respond within 14 days with a list of eligible buildings based on the electrical network topology.

2. Request for Constitution and Designation of the Manager

The request to constitute the RCP is made by the electrician mandated by the owner during the building connection request or the production system installation request, using the dedicated form provided by the DSO and signed by all future members of the RCP.

A manager and contact person for the RCP vis-à-vis the DSO must also be designated. This is generally the owner or the PPE. If the RCP is composed of several buildings owned by different owners, they must agree on designating one. This is usually the one with the main PV installation seeking to sell its production to the residents of neighboring buildings through this extended RCP. 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 who do not wish to join the RCP remain customers of the DSO, and the DSO will deduct their consumption from the overall DSO invoice without requiring wiring modifications. Once this person has left the building, 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:

• Download the letter template to inform tenants (Word)

In a New Building

If the premises are free of any lease at the time of RCP constitution (e.g., upon moving or in the case of a new building), the owner can require new tenants to join the RCP. This obligation can be included in the lease agreement or stated in a separate electricity supply contract.

3. Metering System Planning

DSO meters can be used for internal RCP metering, 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 their use as much as possible, especially for building entries, 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 installations.

Furthermore, private meters offer significant advantages: in case of failure or metering dispute, the owner can directly contact an independent electrician without depending on the DSO. Moreover, unlike DSO meters which only transmit data once a day, private meters can allow real-time monitoring, essential for adjusting consumption habits and optimizing the use of solar production.

The planning of the metering system is a crucial aspect that requires a careful evaluation of the situation, taking into account one-time installation costs and recurring costs that will be borne by the owner and consumers during the operation phase. All these elements must be determined by the owner and their mandataries, engineers, and electricians, before the start of the installation work.

4. Installation and Commissioning

The installer proceeds with installing the photovoltaic panels and modifying the metering system, including removing DSO meters, installing new private meters, and potentially preparing locations for grid entry and production DSO meters.

DSO Meter Data Retrieval

To manage the RCP, if multiple DSO meters are retained, Climkit will need 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 flat fee is charged based on the number of meters for this integration.

5. Administrative Setup

Climkit contacts the responsible manager of the RCP to establish the management contract and settle the administrative arrangements necessary for RCP operation, such as defining billing rates and the list of members. The manager also signs a power of attorney enabling the DSO to send its invoice directly to Climkit.

6. Operational Phase

The RCP then enters the operational phase, and Climkit manages the RCP by generating individual consumer statements 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 opted for the full operating method, Climkit directly bills the consumers and manages payments. Thanks to the power of attorney signed with the DSO, Climkit periodically receives and pays the invoice related to the RCP's energy draw. Once a year, a statement is prepared in favor of the responsible manager of the RCP to allocate the revenues from the sale of solar electricity.

If several photovoltaic installations owned by different managers are part of the RCP, the annual statement clearly details the production of each installation, allowing revenues to be shared among the owners according to their private agreement.