Axpo turns its employees into solar entrepreneurs

With the option for a solar investment, Axpo allows its employees to participate in the expansion of renewable energies in Switzerland and secure a return on their investment. The 300 solar panels were oversubscribed by a factor of 5.76. A model with a future.

Axpo is the largest Swiss producer of renewable energies and will continue to rely on renewable resources in the future. With the solar investment, Axpo wants to give its employees the opportunity to participate as small investors in plants for the production of renewable energy and receive an annual return. Such investments – especially those of the local population – are an important element in increasing the acceptance of such plants.

Securing new projects with crowdfunding

In other countries, such participations are already widespread and very successful. Axpo already has experience in this area with its subsidiary Urbasolar. Through crowdfunding, Urbasolar was able to generate EUR 10 million last year and reinvest this money in new projects. The solar plant in Baden is intended to provide Axpo with initial experience of such investments in Switzerland. The launch was successful: the plant with 300 panels was oversubscribed by a factor of 5.76.

Acceptance for renewables

By participating in the investment and earning an annual return, Axpo also creates acceptance among employees for such projects. "New approaches are needed to accelerate the energy transition. The employee participation program allows employees to participate in the change and raises the awareness to expand renewable energies," says Martine Graziano, Head Innovation & Digital Transformation at Axpo.

300 solar panels awarded

The solar plant at Axpo headquarters was built on the rooftop of one of the offices buildings in June 2020 by the Axpo subsidiary CKW and has an output of 96 kWp. The electricity produced by the solar plant covers around 15-20 percent of the electricity requirements in the building and is used directly at the site wherever possible or, in the event of a surplus, fed into the local power grid.