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Helion is a solid national player backed by AMAG Group
This page isn't here to disparage Helion. It's one of the largest solar installers in Switzerland, with substantial financial resources (AMAG Group, one of Switzerland's largest automotive importers, is its shareholder), a proprietary technology platform (Helion ONE), and a national presence.
If you value scale, an integrated platform and a visible national brand, Helion is a serious choice. This page exists for the cases where Abelarti is objectively a better fit — particularly for a homeowner in French-speaking Switzerland who wants a genuinely local partner.
Profiles compared
The facts, side by side
| Criterion | Abelarti | Helion |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic scale | French-speaking Switzerland (7 cantons) | National (all of Switzerland) |
| Ownership | Independent | AMAG Group (significant capital) |
| Local roots in French-speaking Switzerland | 2015, Bussigny VD | Regional offices, non-Romand management |
| Proprietary technology platform | — | Helion ONE™ (energy integration) |
| Online calculator | ✓ (calculate my savings) | ✓ (start the calculator) |
| Multi-technology | Solar + heat pump + insulation + air conditioning + electrical | Solar + heat pump + battery + EV |
| Thermal insulation | ✓ | — |
| Air conditioning | ✓ | — |
| Subsidy figures before signing | ✓ | Via the Helion ONE platform |
| Canton-specific knowledge | Strong (7 French-speaking cantons) | Moderate (national approach) |
| Dedicated project advisor | ✓ Named project manager | Varies depending on the platform journey |
| Named customer testimonials | In development | Pierre, Anne, etc. with photos |
| "Flexibility marketing" revenue | — | Helion ONE offers this service |
- You want an integrated energy platform. Helion ONE lets you optimise consumption + storage + selling your surplus in real time. It's a genuine technology product that we don't offer.
- You value the national brand. Having AMAG Group behind it provides financial security and media visibility that local SMEs don't have.
- You're interested in "flexibility marketing". Helion ONE lets you sell your battery's flexibility back to the electricity market. It's an additional source of revenue that we don't offer (yet).
- You value a library of public customer testimonials with photos. Their communications are more mature on this point.
- You're in German-speaking Switzerland. It's their home market and their team density there is higher.
- You're a homeowner in French-speaking Switzerland. Our 1,000+ projects are all in the 7 French-speaking cantons. We know the rules of each canton — VD, GE, VS, FR, NE, JU, BE (Bernese Jura).
- You want a local advisor who calls you back personally. Not a platform journey where you go through 3 automated steps before speaking to a human.
- Your project includes thermal insulation. Helion doesn't do insulation. We do — with swisspor, manufactured in the canton of Fribourg.
- You prefer a clear quote to a complex platform. Helion ONE is powerful but can be confusing for a homeowner who just wants to understand their ROI. We explain it in plain language.
- You want your money to stay in French-speaking Switzerland. We're independent, not backed by a national group. Your francs fund local jobs.
To understand it
What is Helion ONE™ — and do you need it?
Helion ONE is the software platform that Helion highlights as a differentiator. It combines: self-consumption optimisation, dynamic tariffs, and flexibility marketing on the electricity spot markets.
It's a genuine technology product that can generate additional revenue by selling your battery's flexibility during peak demand hours. For a "tech-savvy" homeowner with a large battery, this could amount to a few hundred francs a year.
But: this assumes that you manage a platform relationship, that you trust the optimisation algorithms, and that your installation is on Helion infrastructure. For a homeowner who simply wants to cut their bills and gain some independence, this level of complexity is rarely necessary.
Our position: we focus on the fundamentals — producing enough energy for you, delivering maximum savings, managing the subsidies, and providing after-sales service. Flexibility platforms may come later, once they're mature enough for the general public. Today, they mainly serve early adopters.
If you have a Helion quote
Free audit — an honest side-by-side comparison
Send us your Helion quote. Within 48 hours, we'll tell you: (1) whether the French-speaking cantonal subsidies are correctly costed (we're often better on this), (2) whether the Helion ONE platform adds concrete value to your situation, (3) what an Abelarti alternative would cost for the same scope.
No obligation. If Helion is the right choice for you, we'll tell you so.
Send my quote for a free auditFrequently asked questions
What customers ask us about Helion
Is Helion financially safer because it is backed by the AMAG Group?
Yes, objectively, a company with a large industrial group behind it has less risk of disappearing. Abelarti has been independent and self-financed since 2015. In both cases, your main warranties come from the manufacturers (LONGi, SOLYCO, LG, Panasonic, Enphase — all solid international groups), not from the installer. A quality installation outlasts the hypothetical disappearance of the installer.
Is Helion ONE worth the price premium?
It depends on your profile. If you have a large installation (battery > 15 kWh, production > 10,000 kWh/year), marketing the flexibility can generate an additional CHF 200-600/year. For a standard residential installation, the gain is more modest. Our free audit gives you a quantified estimate for your case.
Does Helion do insulation or air conditioning?
No. Helion offers solar, heat pumps, batteries, and charging stations. Thermal insulation and residential air conditioning are not in their catalogue. This is an important differentiator for comprehensive energy renovation projects.
Are cantonal subsidies estimated more accurately by one or the other?
In our experience, local French-speaking Switzerland players are typically more precise about cantonal subsidies than national players, who manage all 26 Swiss cantons and may simplify. Send us your Helion quote for a quantified comparison — that is often where the difference materialises.
Is Helion cheaper than Abelarti?
Not systematically. Prices per installed kWp are close between serious installers who use tier-1 equipment. The real differences come from subsidy optimisation (where local players have an advantage), the scope of the proposal (single-product vs. multi-technology), and any hidden fees (platform, premium service, etc.).
What is the quality of Helion's after-sales service?
Their technical support teams are professional, but the size of their national customer base means that a ticket is often handled in a queue. At Abelarti, you stay with your project manager from start to finish. For an issue after 5 years, the difference can be significant.
Can I switch from Helion to Abelarti if I am not satisfied?
After installation, your equipment remains yours. The manufacturer's after-sales service (LONGi, Enphase, etc.) is independent of the original installer. If you need to service your Helion installation in 5 years, we can technically take over, although certain proprietary integrations (Helion ONE) remain tied to their ecosystem.