BKW plans to introduce its ‘sunshine’ tariff in April 2027 to residential and commercial consumers
Discounts will vary by region, reaching up to 40% on sunny days and 20% when light cloud cover is expected
The voluntary tariff is intended to shift electricity use, including EV charging and heat pump operation, toward periods of high solar generation
Swiss utility BKW plans to introduce a dynamic electricity tariff in 2027 that will offer lower grid-use charges during sunny hours. Through this ‘Sonne scheint’ or ‘sunshine’ tariff, it is encouraging customers to shift power consumption to sunny afternoon hours, while reducing pressure on the grid.
To incentivize consumers to shift their electricity consumption to sunny hours under the sunshine tariff, BKW is offering discounts on the grid-use tariff.
According to its plans, the utility will offer the dynamic tariff on sunny afternoons from April through September next year. Customers will receive discounts on the grid-use tariff between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. when sufficient sunshine is forecast for their region. The discount will be up to 40% on sunny days and 20% when light cloud cover is forecast.
BKW said the discount level will vary by region. The following day's discount level will be determined using weather forecasts from MeteoSwiss. It adds that the tariff balances regional differences by offering higher but less frequent discounts in less sunny areas and lower, but more frequent discounts in sunnier regions.
The tariff is intended to encourage both residential and commercial customers to use electricity when solar generation is high. BKW said energy-management systems (EMS) can shift the operation of larger electricity loads, including electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, and boilers, into the discounted period.
Interested customers can participate in the scheme on a voluntary basis. While a solar PV system or a smart home are not prerequisites for participation, a utility-provided smart meter is to ensure accurate time-based consumption measurement.
““Sunshine” is a dynamic grid usage tariff from BKW. The tariff rewards electricity consumption during periods of abundant solar energy availability and incentivizes customers to act in a grid-friendly manner by consuming locally produced solar energy locally,” explains BKW. Registrations for the program will open in the fall for five regions.
Earlier, in May 2026, BKW had announced plans to introduce a market-based remuneration model for solar power from mid-2026. It will enable eligible customers to voluntarily switch from the existing model to a dynamic payment system based on Swiss Day-Ahead spot-market prices. It said the aim is to encourage solar power generators to increase self-consumption when prices are low or negative and feed electricity into the grid when demand prices are higher.
