Zurich – At the end of 2021, around 12,600 photovoltaic systems in the canton of Zurich will have produced around 0.3 terawatt hours of electricity. This is the result of an analysis by the Cantonal Statistical Office. It identifies great untapped potential for the further expansion of solar energy.
Falling prices for solar installations have fueled the addition of new photovoltaic systems in the canton of Zurich, according to an analysis by the cantonal statistics office. According to this, at the end of 2021 there were at least 12,600 active photovoltaic systems in the canton. Almost all of them were installed after 2010, according to the data. They produced about 0.3 terawatt hours of solar power per year, which is roughly equivalent to the annual power consumption of the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden.
Despite the increase in capacity, the analysis still identifies great untapped potential for solar power. Around half of all Zurich systems are installed on single-family homes, he said. There is still a need to catch up in multifamily buildings and buildings that are not used for residential purposes. The latter also offer space for larger systems with a higher installed capacity.
The analysis identifies further potential in new buildings. When the new cantonal energy law comes into force in September 2022, all new buildings will have to contribute to meeting their electricity needs. It can therefore be assumed that new systems will be installed in the coming years.
The canton of Zurich wants to stop emitting greenhouse gases by 2040 – or by 2050 at the latest. Accordingly, according to its own information, it attaches great importance to the use of the existing potential for renewable electricity production. ce/ssp
