Store solar power instead of giving it away. A BESS increases your self-consumption rate from 30% to 70-90% and makes every kilowatt-hour more valuable.
Your PV system produces the most electricity around midday. But in many businesses, consumption is precisely low at that time. The surplus therefore flows into the grid at feed-in tariffs well below the purchase rate.
Without storage, typical commercial operations use only about 30% of their solar power themselves. The remaining 70% is essentially given away. This is economically unsound and wastes the potential of your roof space.
Feed-in Tariff vs. Purchase Rate
Feed-in tariffs in Switzerland are 4-10 Rp./kWh. The commercial purchase rate is 15-25 Rp./kWh. Every kilowatt-hour you use yourself improves the economics.
A battery energy storage system (BESS) captures the PV surplus and releases it when your business needs the energy. Instead of feeding solar power into the grid at low tariffs, you use it yourself and save the purchase rate.
The self-consumption rate typically rises from around 30% to 70-90%. This means less dependency on the energy provider, lower electricity costs and a faster payback on your PV system.
Multi-Use
A BESS does not just optimise self-consumption. The storage simultaneously earns through peak shaving, ancillary services (frequency regulation) and arbitrage. Multiple revenue streams in one system.
70-90%
Self-Consumption Rate
Without storage, only about 30% of solar power is used on-site. With BESS, you store daytime surplus and use it in the evening, at night or during cloudy periods. Your self-consumption rate rises to 70-90%.
up to 50%
Less Grid Dependency
Stored solar power replaces expensive grid electricity. Your purchases from the energy provider drop significantly. Especially effective since 2026, as the new demand charge makes every consumption peak costly.
4 Sources
Additional Revenue Around the Clock
A BESS is more than a solar battery. Additional earnings from peak shaving, ancillary services (frequency regulation), arbitrage and optimised self-consumption.
Warehouses & Logistics
Large roof areas but low daytime consumption. Without storage, solar power flows into the grid at poor feed-in tariffs. BESS turns the warehouse into a power plant.
Manufacturing Facilities
High electricity demand, often well aligned with PV production. BESS bridges production pauses and shifts energy into night and early morning shifts.
Agriculture
Seasonal consumption fluctuations. Cooling in summer, heating in winter. BESS optimises self-consumption year-round and buffers seasonal peak loads.
Commercial Buildings & Shopping Centres
Air conditioning and lighting run during the day. In the evening, demand rises with EV charging stations. BESS shifts the midday PV surplus into the evening.
The economics of a BESS for self-consumption optimization are based on multiple revenue sources simultaneously. This is what sets a battery storage system apart from a standalone PV installation.
| Revenue Source | Impact |
|---|---|
| Saved Grid Purchases | 10-20 Rp./kWh difference between purchase rate and feed-in tariff |
| Peak Shaving | 30-50% reduction in 15-minute demand peaks |
| Ancillary Services (Frequency Regulation) | Additional revenue from participation in the balancing energy market |
| Arbitrage | Charge cheaply, feed in at high prices (spot market) |
| Demand Charge 2026 | Energy Act revision makes every avoided demand peak directly more valuable |
Mantelerlass & Demand Charge 2026
With the Energy Act revision, the demand charge for large consumers becomes explicit. Grid fees are based more heavily on the highest measured 15-minute peak. Self-consumption becomes even more valuable: every kilowatt-hour you use instead of drawing from the grid reduces both your peak and your costs.
Together we assess whether a BESS can meaningfully increase self-consumption at your site.
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Yes. Even without photovoltaics, a BESS generates revenue through peak shaving (reducing demand peaks), ancillary service participation (frequency regulation) and energy trading (arbitrage). A PV system further improves the business case but is not a prerequisite.
Without storage, the self-consumption rate typically lies at 25-35%. With a correctly sized BESS, it rises to 70-90%. The exact rate depends on your load profile, PV system size and storage capacity. NRG Solutions analyses your profile in a free initial consultation.
With the Mantelerlass (Energy Act revision), the demand charge for large consumers is now explicit. Grid fees are based more heavily on the highest measured 15-minute peak. Every kilowatt less in peak demand saves money directly. A BESS typically reduces these peaks by 30-50% while making self-consumption significantly more valuable.
No. In addition to a traditional purchase (INVEST model), NRG Solutions offers a RENTAL model. NRG finances, builds and operates the storage system. You benefit from day 1 without capital expenditure. The revenue split is transparently defined.
Typically 5-8 years, depending on PV system size, load profile and local electricity prices. The combination of saved grid purchases, avoided feed-in losses, peak shaving and ancillary service revenues means the investment pays off from multiple revenue sources.
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