Commissioning of an RCP

Definition and general operation

Since 2018, with the entry into force of the revised Energy Act (LEne), it has been possible to create Self-Consumption Communities (RCP) in Switzerland. An RCP allows multiple end electricity consumers to be combined into a single consumer and a single customer in the eyes of the distribution system operator (DSO), with the aim of consuming shared photovoltaic electricity production, generated 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 service entrance. The owner or the co-ownership association (PPE) then becomes the electricity supplier for the residents, who waive their basic supply from the DSO. Appointed as the RCP manager, the owner then mandates a company, such as Climkit, to manage metering and billing within the RCP.

Since January 1, 2025, it has been possible to form an RCP with neighboring buildings using the distribution grid to share the solar electricity produced. In this case, the DSO creates a virtual meter resulting from the sum of the DSO meters installed in each building, thereby enabling the issuance of a single invoice. This is referred to as a virtual RCP (RCPv). Apart from these differences in general metering, the rules of 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 with the DSO, which bills the electricity drawn by the RCP and pays, at the feed-in tariff, for the surplus solar energy fed back. If multiple DSO meters are used for metering, the usage and maintenance fees for these meters are also billed to the RCP.

Conditions for commissioning

To set up an RCP, the following conditions must be 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 capacity must be equipped with a PV installation of at least 8.7 kWp, which represents approximately twenty photovoltaic panels.
• If the RCP is established in an existing building, the written consent 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 low-voltage grid coupling point (< 1 kV).

Commissioning steps

1. Initial verification with the DSO

If multiple 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 to be installed. The DSO should be asked to identify neighboring buildings that can participate in the RCP. This request can be made by any interested party. The DSO responds within 14 days with a list of eligible buildings based on the electrical grid topology.

2. Application for formation and designation of the manager

The application to establish the RCP is submitted by the electrical installer mandated by the owner, during the connection request for the building or the production facility, via the dedicated form provided by the DSO and signed by all future RCP members.

A manager and contact person for the RCP vis-à-vis the DSO must also be designated. This is generally the owner or the co-ownership association (PPE). If the RCP consists of multiple buildings owned by different owners, they must agree to appoint one. This is usually the one with the main PV installation who seeks, through this expanded RCP, to sell their production to residents of neighboring buildings. It is recommended to establish an agreement among the owners on how the RCP will be operated.

The DSO then has three months to review the application. Residents who do not wish to join the RCP remain DSO customers, and the DSO deducts their consumption from the overall invoice sent to the RCP without requiring any wiring changes. When one of these residents moves out, 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 consent of each tenant. In the case of a co-ownership (PPE), the consent of each co-owner is required. The letter template below can be used to inform residents and gather 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 the RCP's formation (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 included in the lease agreement or stipulated in a separate electricity supply contract.

3. Planning 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 recommended to limit them as much as possible, especially at building service entrances, and to favor 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 the event of a failure or metering dispute, 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, essential for adjusting consumption habits and optimizing the use of solar production.

Planning the metering system is a crucial aspect that requires careful evaluation of the situation, taking into account the one-off installation costs and 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 starting 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, and the preparation, if necessary, of locations for the service entrance and production DSO meters.

Retrieving DSO meter data

To manage the RCP, if multiple DSO meters are retained, Climkit requires their readings, which it collects in the same manner as data from private meters. Climkit therefore coordinates with the DSO to organize the daily digital transfer (via FTP) of DSO meter data in the standardized SDAT-CH (Ebix) format to the Climkit platform. A one-off flat fee, calculated based on the number of meters, is billed to carry out this integration.

5. Administrative setup

Climkit contacts the owner managing the RCP to establish the management contract and settle the administrative procedures necessary for the RCP's operation, such as setting billing rates and establishing the list of members. The owner also signs a proxy authorizing the DSO to send its invoice directly to Climkit.

6. Operational phase

The RCP then enters operation, and Climkit manages the RCP by generating individual consumer statements based on their consumption read 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 directly bills consumers and manages payments. Thanks to the proxy signed with the DSO, Climkit periodically receives and pays the invoice related to the RCP's grid consumption. Once a year, an annual statement is prepared for the owner managing the RCP to allocate the revenue from the sale of solar electricity.

If several photovoltaic installations belonging to different owners are part of the RCP, the annual statement clearly details the production of each installation, thereby allowing revenue to be distributed among the owners according to their own agreement.