Response Doctoral Program
With the Swiss energy transition underway, homeowners might consider investing in a photovoltaics (PV) system. However, the optimal PV system design depends on the homeowner’s preferences.
We show that if the primary goal is to save money, one might favor larger PV installations, but if the main goal is to reduce the carbon footprint, a smaller PV system with a battery may offer greater long-term benefits. We also show that in a future where there might be limits on the amount of electricity that can be exported to the distribution grid, homeowners might opt for smaller PV systems.
Read ETH Energy Blog post of RESPONSE fellow Linda Brodnicke and explores the two most advanced capture methods used in DACS, compares their scalability, and stresses the significance of investing in multiple technologies over the next decade instead of solely relying on existing approaches.
Linda Brodnicke is a fellow in the RESPONSE Doctoral Program (DP) «RESPONSE – to society and policy needs through plant, food and energy sciences» funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 847585.
Citation: Linda Brodnicke and Alissa Ganter. “What to consider when buying a photovoltaics system for your home”, Energy Blog @ ETH Zurich, ETH Zurich, April 1st, 2025, https://blogs.ethz.ch/energy/residential-photovoltaic-systems/
Cover image: The NEST building close to Zurich, which was used as a case study for this analysis. ©Zooey Braun