| Media release
Until now, Swissgrid has been responsible for collecting grid premiums, feed-in tariffs and issuing guarantees of origin. However, the new energy law requires that these activities are to be carried out by an independent central office in the future.
Swissgrid has been the accredited certification authority recording guarantees of origin since 2007 and processes the federal government's funding programmes for renewable energy. In the future, all of these activities will be carried out by an independent enforcement agency. This is required by the energy law of 30 September 2016, which was accepted by referendum on 21 May 2017. In addition, the new energy law replaces cost-covering remuneration for feed-in to the electricity grid (CRF) with a feed-in tariff system.
The new central office is a subsidiary of Swissgrid that is owned entirely by the latter and is under the authority of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). Swissgrid intends to found the enforcement new agency in autumn 2017. The agency should begin operation at the beginning of 2018. If the new energy law and the accompanying regulations enter into force later than 1 January 2018, active operation will be postponed accordingly.