FR 
EN 
Deutsch Starting point
Romande Energie is the historic player in electricity distribution in French-speaking Switzerland
120 years in business. Hundreds of thousands of customers. A grid infrastructure no one questions. When they say "we will sell you green electricity until 2100," you can believe them.
But installing and optimising a solar system for a private household is a different profession. It calls for sharp technical expertise (sizing, detailed cantonal subsidies, multi-trade coordination) and a cost structure suited to small residential projects. This page exists to help you objectively assess their solar offer against an independent installer alternative like Abelarti.
The fundamental distinction
They sell electricity. We install the systems that produce it.
Two professions, two cost structures, two different economic incentives. Here is why it matters.
- Electricity distribution across the French-speaking Swiss grid.
- Buy-back rates for surplus solar power (typically CHF 0.05-0.12/kWh).
- Grid infrastructure and meter readings.
- Local electricity communities (CEL) legal framework.
- A recent solar offer, often delegated to installer partners.
- Their main economic interest: to sell you electricity, not to maximise your self-consumption.
- Study, sizing and installation of residential and B2B solar systems.
- Self-consumption optimisation (the more of your own production you consume, the better for you).
- Full subsidy management (federal Pronovo + cantonal + communal).
- Multi-trade after-sales service over 25-30 years.
- Not an electricity seller — you are connected to your historic distributor (often Romande Energie) separately.
- Our economic interest: your satisfaction with the installation. A job well done = a customer who recommends us.
The two can coexist — and often do. Most of our customers stay connected to Romande Energie for electricity while having their solar installation fitted by us.
Points to check
Before signing a Romande Energie solar offer, ask these questions
Who actually does the installation?
Romande Energie often delegates the installation to partners. Ask for the name of the actual subcontractor, and check their Swissolar certifications and references. Signing a contract with RE is no guarantee of an RE installation.
Is self-consumption maximised?
A distributor has a paradoxical interest in sizing your installation modestly (the more you produce, the less you buy from them). Make sure the proposed sizing covers a good 70-80% of your consumption, not 40-50%.
Are the cantonal subsidies quantified?
Ask for a breakdown of the federal Pronovo, cantonal (Buildings Programme) and communal subsidies. If the offer mentions only the federal one, or refers to an unspecified "subsidy lump sum," that is a warning sign.
Who will be your contact in 5 years?
RE's teams are structured for the distribution service, not for the after-sales support of private installations. Check the technical support process: are you calling a subcontractor, an RE service, or a general number?
Can I add a heat pump or insulation later?
RE focuses on photovoltaics and charging stations. If your energy renovation project includes a heat pump or insulation, that will be a separate project with another provider. Coordinating the subsidies then becomes more complex.
Is the buy-back rate optimal?
The distributor sets the buy-back rate for your surplus itself. That is a structural conflict of interest. An independent installer can advise you on battery size to minimise the surplus you sell back — and therefore reduce your dependence on RE's buy-back rate.
Direct comparison
Abelarti and Romande Energie, side by side
| Criterion | Abelarti (installer) | Romande Energie (distributor) |
|---|---|---|
| Core business | Solar & multi-trade installation | Electricity distribution |
| Years in business | 10+ | 120+ |
| Grid electricity distribution | — | ✓ Regional monopoly |
| Installation carried out in-house | ✓ Abelarti teams | Often via partners |
| Heat pump | ✓ | Partners |
| Thermal insulation | ✓ | — |
| Dedicated project manager | ✓ Single point of contact | Distributed teams |
| Subsidies quantified in the quote | ✓ | Varies by offer |
| Self-consumption optimisation | Top priority | Paradoxical economic interest |
| Surplus buy-back rate | — | Their role (they set it) |
| Installation after-sales service | ✓ 25-30 years | Via subcontractors |
If you have a Romande Energie offer
Free audit — we give you an objective second opinion
Send us the solar offer you received from Romande Energie. An Abelarti adviser analyses it within 48 working hours and tells you:
- ✓ Sizing: is the proposed number of kWp suited to your roof and your consumption?
- ✓ Subsidies: are all the federal + cantonal + communal grants correctly quantified?
- ✓ Equipment: are the proposed panels and inverters tier-1 with adequate warranties?
- ✓ Self-consumption: would a battery be worthwhile for your profile?
- ✓ Overall value: is the value for money competitive against an independent installer?
No obligation. If the RE offer is the best one for you, we will tell you so honestly.
Send my RE offer for a free auditFrequently asked questions
What customers ask us about Romande Energie
Can Romande Energie install my solar system directly?
RE offers solar packages, but the technical installation is generally carried out by partner installers. Always ask for the name of the actual partner who will do the work. It could be a local SME like ours, or a national player acting as a subcontractor.
If I go through Abelarti, will I lose my electricity contract with Romande Energie?
No. Your electricity distribution contract with RE is independent of your solar installer. You remain an RE customer for your peak consumption, and you receive the RE feed-in tariff for your surplus. The only thing that changes: we size the system to minimise your dependence on their sale tariff.
Is Romande Energie's feed-in tariff the best?
The tariff is set by RE in its distribution zone (typically CHF 0.05-0.12/kWh in 2026). You cannot negotiate it. What you can do: reduce the surplus you resell (and therefore your dependence on this tariff) by increasing your self-consumption via a battery. This is our approach.
Are subsidies handled differently by RE?
RE knows the federal Pronovo subsidy (which they also process like any installer). For cantonal and municipal subsidies, our experience shows that local independent installers are generally more precise and more up to date. Our free audit compares the estimate for your specific case.
Is Romande Energie obliged to buy back my surplus?
Yes, within its distribution zone. The tariff is published annually. Swiss law requires grid operators to buy back the surplus from private producers, even if the exact tariff varies. Find out RE's 2026 tariff before signing — it affects the ROI of your project.
What about local electricity communities (LECs)?
RE is developing the legal framework for LECs, which allow several owners to share a common solar installation. This is an interesting product for co-ownerships and neighbourhoods. If this is your case, RE is indeed well positioned. For a single-family home, the LEC framework does not add any specific value.
Can Abelarti collaborate with Romande Energie?
Of course — we interact regularly with RE for the grid connections of our installations, subsidies, feed-in tariffs, etc. It is a natural and necessary collaboration. We are independent but not adversarial — we simply operate in complementary fields.