An energy transition without electricity from solar and wind power? Impossible. This is even more true for the climate targets – if only because of the legally prescribed time frame. On the occasion of the latest figures from Germany, our article sheds light on what this means for the interaction of production and the electricity grid for Switzerland. The assessments of three experts using the example of the microgrid serve as a basis for what a solution could look like.
Pace and business models: experts assess the energy transition
This blog post is based on the article “Municipalities and neighborhoods are charging up,” which appeared in the magazine energieinside (not accessible online). Our energy expert Marcel Leibacher highlighted the assessments of Prof. Jürg Rohrer (ZHAW), Simon Ryser (Energiebüro), and Daniel Gottardo (Weidmüller Switzerland) on the state of the art and market potential.
We are taking these as a basis to define the fields of action for municipalities, energy suppliers and urban planners using the example of the microgrid. Because solutions are needed, as the seventh monitoring report on the 2050 energy and climate targets shows: Neither production nor consumption are developing as would be necessary for the targets.
Starting point: Wind and solar power on the rise
The figures from Germany prove impressively: In the third quarter of 2025, more than 50 percent came from wind power (26.8%) and photovoltaics (24.1%). This means that the share of solar and wind is reaching new record levels. However, this trend towards weather-dependent electricity production places massive demands on the grid and raises the question of where grid stability and security of supply will come from in the future — also in Switzerland.
Field of action: The grid as a critical variable
Solar and wind energy must continue to gain importance in Switzerland. Because regardless of the ongoing discussions, the two technologies are part of the future production mix if Switzerland wants to achieve its climate targets. Of course, geopolitical and other considerations must also be included in the energy transition, in particular economic ones (as the example of Germany also shows). The fact that the grid is a critical variable is universally (acknowledged). What makes it even more difficult for Switzerland is that it is still not a full member of the European Electricity Agreement. This makes it clear once again: The energy transition needs decentralized, locally anchored solutions.
Five reasons why microgrids are more relevant today than ever before
What microgrids can do for grid expansion is not a new discussion in Switzerland. They were already considered a building block for the success of an energy transition that also keeps an eye on costs more than 15 years ago. Nevertheless: It is still more attractive for grid operators, for example, to invest in central grid expansion – even if this is more expensive in terms of total volume. However, if the energy transition is to succeed, a holistic view of the future supply is needed.
Point 1
Local supply strengthens grid resilience
With the increasing expansion of solar and wind power, feed-in fluctuates greatly. Weather phases with little sun or wind (dark periods) lead to bottlenecks. Studies show that a purely weather-dependent energy supply without storage and flexibility is expensive and risky. This is where the migrogrids come into play: A decentralized network that integrates production, consumption, storage and control can absorb weather-related fluctuations and thus reduce the dependence of its supply area on the central network.
Point 2
Microgrids create «islands»: independent and robust
A microgrid enables a large degree of independence from the central grid in neighborhoods, developments, industrial areas or critical infrastructures. Production (e.g. photovoltaics), storage (batteries), intelligent load management and control work together locally. This increases security of supply and self-sufficiency — especially where a stable power supply is essential, such as in hospitals, industry or new buildings. As the sustainable and local power supply will continue to increase in the future, microgrids will become a location advantage.
Point 3
Microgrids complement the existing grid — with potential for new construction and industry
Microgrids can be technically implemented well, especially in new buildings or larger (area) developments. Examples show how this is already being done today. Many of the examples in which neighborhoods with photovoltaic systems and control devices become small, independent energy islands are realized in French-speaking Switzerland. Industrial areas also benefit, as Daniel Gottardo emphasizes: They reduce energy losses, optimize self-consumption and reduce the CO₂ footprint.
Point 4
Why expansion has stalled so far
Despite high technical maturity, there are hurdles: Political and market-based incentives for microgrids are still lacking. The construction of independent grids is still hardly worthwhile — especially not where the central grid is already considered sufficiently stable. Therefore, the concrete market and infrastructure value remains limited.
However, this view is contradicted by the fact that a power failure can quickly cost billions, as the two examples in southern Europe this year show: This cannot be done without a balanced assessment of goods. And even if a large-scale power failure (blackout) still seems unlikely, the risk of small-scale failures (brownouts) is many times more real: It is not for nothing that the energy suppliers have prepared the plans for this.
Point 5
What this means for municipalities and energy suppliers in Switzerland
Self-responsible grids can be a strong instrument for security of supply, grid relief and local value creation, especially in municipalities, neighborhoods or industrial areas. Because decentralized solutions are a strategic building block for making the energy transition fit for the future — regardless of how international conditions develop in Europe and the world.
Participation of the population is crucial for success: Such projects can only be successfully implemented with acceptance and local involvement. In addition, new models also open up the active participation of local stakeholders.
This is where enovation’s approach comes in: enovation helps energy suppliers and municipalities to set up participation processes and involve the local population at an early stage — a decisive step if microgrids are not to be implemented as a technical vision, but as a lived concept for the future.
Conclusion
Decentralized solutions are only successful with the participation of the population
All current developments show that the share of weather-based production is increasing — not only in Germany, but also in China. However, this also challenges grid stability and security of supply. However, since the expansion of solar and wind power has no short- or medium-term alternatives, solutions are needed that are available today.
Decentralized, locally controlled microgrids offer a strong instrument for making the energy transition robust and resilient — especially in a country like Switzerland without a European electricity agreement. Anyone who invests in decentralized solutions today and involves the population at an early stage is laying the foundation for a sustainable, sustainable and stable energy future.
If you are considering what a concrete microgrid project could look like — from participation to technical implementation — it is worth contacting enovation.
Sea anemones – a symbol of protection and connection. Photo by keith smith on Unsplash