Photovoltaics for industry and manufacturing businesses is economical because the electricity demand of machines, compressors and conveyors falls during the day, when the system on the hall roof is producing. Day-shift operations reach 60 to 70 percent self-consumption without additional measures, 70 to 90 percent with battery storage and ZEV. With the GREIV subsidy of up to 30 percent of the reference costs (Pronovo), an industrial system from 100 kWp usually pays back in 4 to 6 years.
Key Takeaways
8 min read
Key Takeaways
8 min read- Load profile matches the sunDay-shift manufacturing businesses consume 60 to 70 percent of the solar electricity directly; office buildings reach 20 to 40 percent.
- Payback in 4 to 6 yearsWith the GREIV subsidy of up to 30 percent of the reference costs and high self-consumption, at an annual consumption above 500'000 kWh.
- BACHMANN GROUP: 96 percent self-consumption2'809 kWp on 10'800 m² of hall roof in a three-shift packaging production, planned and built by Ampere Dynamic.
- Load profile analysis firstTwelve months of consumption data in 15-minute intervals show whether, and how large, the system should be. Result in 2 to 4 weeks.
Photovoltaics for industry and manufacturing businesses pays off for a simple reason: the electricity is needed when it is generated. Machines, compressors, conveyors and compressed air run between 6 am and 6 pm, the system on the hall roof delivers between 8 am and 5 pm. Where office buildings and retail have to feed a large share of their solar electricity into the grid, a manufacturing business consumes it itself, and exactly this self-consumption decides the payback. This article shows the figures for a 500 kWp system, the subsidy and the path from the load profile analysis to the running system.
Why is photovoltaics particularly suited to industrial businesses?
Self-consumption is the most important lever for the economics of a solar system. The more self-generated electricity is consumed directly on site, the less grid draw and the shorter the payback.
Day-shift manufacturing businesses typically achieve 60 to 70 percent self-consumption without additional measures (evaluation of completed Ampere Dynamic projects). The reason: machines, compressors, conveyors and lighting run during production hours from 6 am to 6 pm, when the solar system on the hall roof delivers its highest output. Grid draw occurs mainly in the evening and night hours, when no production is running and the system is not producing anyway.
An office building shows a different pattern: cooling and lighting create a certain base load during the day, but the consumption in the evening and at weekends is missing as an offtaker. That pushes the self-consumption ratio down to 20 to 40 percent and lengthens the payback considerably.
Manufacturing business and office building compared
| Feature | Typical office building | Manufacturing business |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity draw during the day (main production hours) | No | Yes |
| Self-consumption ratio without optimisation: 60 to 70 percent | No | Yes |
| Large roof area for 100 to 500+ kWp available | No | Yes |
| Load peaks from machines (peak-shaving potential) | No | Yes |
| Payback under 6 years realistic | No | Yes |
Add to that the advantages of the roof area: industrial halls have large, mostly unshaded flat roofs suited to systems from 100 kWp into the MWp range. Ampere Dynamic plans independently of any manufacturer and adapts the module selection to the structure and roof build-up, including lightweight roofs. The price difference between self-produced electricity at 8 to 12 Rp./kWh and grid electricity at 20 to 30 Rp./kWh (total tariff for commercial customers in ElCom category C4 2026: 23.66 Rp./kWh median, ElCom electricity price overview) creates lasting, predictable savings.
What does photovoltaics for industry cost and when does it pay back?
The economics of an industrial system depend on three factors: investment, achievable self-consumption and subsidy. For a 500 kWp system the calculation looks like this.
Investment range: CHF 600’000 to 900’000, that is CHF 1’200 to 1’800 per kWp (Ampere Dynamic experience values, projects 2024 to 2026). The range reflects roof condition, structural requirements, grid connection and inverter selection.
Subsidy: The GREIV (grosse Einmalvergütung, the large-scale one-off payment) covers up to 30 percent of the investment costs of a reference system for new systems from 100 kWp; Pronovo calculates the amount per project (Pronovo, frequently asked questions on the one-off payment). For a 500 kWp project that corresponds to a subsidy of CHF 180’000 to 270’000, depending on system type and bonus supplements.
Annual savings: A 500 kWp system produces around 500’000 kWh per year in the Swiss Plateau. At a self-consumption of 70 to 90 percent (with battery storage and a self-consumption community, ZEV for short), 350’000 to 450’000 kWh are consumed directly. The saving effect: grid electricity costs of 20 to 30 Rp./kWh are replaced by own production at 8 to 12 Rp./kWh. That yields annual savings of CHF 40’000 to 110’000.
For Ampere Dynamic projects the internal evaluation shows: for day-shift manufacturing businesses with an annual consumption above 500’000 kWh, payback as a rule lies between 4 and 6 years. The system pays for itself through the ongoing savings long before the module warranty of 25 and more years expires.
More on subsidy programmes, bonus supplements and financing options: photovoltaics solution and subsidy guide 2026.
How much self-consumption does a manufacturing business reach? The BACHMANN GROUP example
The most convincing argument for photovoltaics in industry comes from the BACHMANN GROUP project.
BACHMANN GROUP runs packaging production around the clock. The system comprises 2’809 kWp, installed on 10’800 m² of roof area with 5’163 modules. The result after commissioning: 96 percent self-consumption (Ampere Dynamic project data). Almost all of the solar energy generated is consumed directly in production, without being fed into the grid. The reason lies in the three-shift operation: the machines run at night too.
As a further example: Balteschwiler AG operates a system of 3’091 kWp (8’036 modules, 15’437 m²) and generates around 3’030 MWh per year. The project shows that Swiss industrial roofs can accommodate systems in the MWp range.
Ampere Dynamic planned and built both projects: from the load profile analysis through planning and the subsidy application to turnkey handover. Since its founding in 2020, Ampere Dynamic has delivered 196 large-scale systems with a total capacity of 53.3 MWp (as of 2026-09).
How does the implementation work?
The path from the first consideration to the running system is structured and predictable. Ampere Dynamic accompanies manufacturing businesses through all four phases.
Implementation roadmap: from analysis to the running system
Load profile analysis and feasibility study
We analyse your load profile, the roof area and the economics. Result in 2 to 4 weeks.
Planning and engineering
System design by your engineering team, including the subsidy application to Pronovo. Manufacturer-independent module selection, grid connection application and building permit included.
Installation and commissioning
Turnkey handover, on time and on budget, with minimal disruption to operations. Your production keeps running during the installation.
Service and yield assurance
Permanent monitoring, maintenance and self-consumption optimisation for 20 and more years of planning certainty. Response time for critical faults: 2 working days.
The decision for a solar system begins with one question: does your load profile fit? Ampere Dynamic answers that question in a preliminary analysis within 2 to 4 weeks. Send us your consumption data for the last twelve months and the roof dimensions; we show you which system makes economic sense, what the GREIV means for your project and how high your realistic savings are. Sector deep dives: solar systems for logistics centres and solar systems for the food industry.