Axpo Energy Reports: How can Switzerland secure its electricity supply?

At the media conference on March 24, 2026, Axpo, Switzerland's largest electricity producer, presented approaches on how Switzerland can supply itself with electricity in the future: Its "Axpo Energy Reports" show that Switzerland can produce the majority of the winter electricity it needs domestically and secure its electricity supply in the long term, even in winter - with a combination of different technologies. Basler & Hofmann analyzed the cantonal regional spatial strategies for wind energy for the "Wind Report": Specifically, Basler & Hofmann's wind energy team looked at where the cantons currently stand in terms of designating suitable areas and establishing a planning approval process for wind energy.

Two scenarios for Switzerland's electricity supply

In the synthesis report, Axpo comes to the conclusion that there are two scenarios for a reliable, low-emission and affordable electricity supply in Switzerland:

• Scenario 1 consists of a mix of hydropower, more photovoltaics, significantly more wind power and some market-active gas-fired power plants, in combination with the long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants.
• Scenario 2 envisages the new construction of two nuclear power plants, hydropower, more photovoltaics, more wind power and market-active gas-fired power plants. 
   

Expansion of wind energy is absolutely necessary

According to Axpo, wind energy must be expanded, regardless of which of the two paths Switzerland ultimately takes. Wind is particularly cost-efficient in terms of winter electricity and generates around two thirds of the yield in the winter months. According to Axpo, the federal government's acceleration decree in particular must be implemented consistently and quickly at cantonal level in order to exploit the potential.

Where do the cantons currently stand with regard to the expansion of wind energy? We asked Jonas Müller, Team Leader Wind Energy at Basler & Hofmann and co-author of the study "Analysis of cantonal regional spatial strategies for wind energy in Switzerland" (as of June 2025), which was included in the "Axpo Energy Reports".

In a study from 2022, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy concludes that Switzerland could produce 30 terawatt hours of electricity per year using wind energy. How much of this do we use today, Jonas?

Jonas: We are only making marginal use of the existing potential. There are currently 50 wind turbines in operation in Switzerland. These produce around 0.17 terawatt hours of wind power per year, which corresponds to only around 0.2% of Switzerland's electricity production.

Why isn't more electricity produced from wind power in Switzerland today, while in neighboring countries such as Germany, wind energy has been massively expanded in recent years?

Jonas: Up to now, municipalities in Switzerland have had to amend their local zoning plans for new wind energy sites. The municipalities voted on these zoning plan adjustments, which caused many projects to fail. There has now been a change. With the acceleration decree, the federal government has called on all cantons to introduce a planning approval procedure for wind energy. This essentially removes the authority of the municipalities to designate usage zones for wind energy and issue permits, and places this directly with the cantons. There are also subtle differences in how the decree is implemented across the individual cantons, such as whether the local authority is merely consulted or has a right of veto.

You analyzed the cantonal spatial strategies for wind energy in Switzerland for the "Axpo Energy Reports". What exactly did you examine?

Jonas: We checked whether the cantons have already designated suitable areas and, if so, where the cantons stand in the structure plan process. We then assessed the theoretical yield potential of the suitability areas that are currently being designated. We then compared this potential with the potential of the Federal Office of Energy's 2022 study and also compared our calculated potential with the cantonal expansion targets for renewable energy, the cantonal final energy consumption today and the final energy consumption forecast by the canton for 2050.

What are the key results of the study?

Jonas: We were able to show where the individual cantons stand in terms of regional spatial strategies and the designation of suitable areas for wind energy. By June 2025, 135 suitable areas had been designated or were in the process of being designated. In addition, there are 57 areas in the interim result and 14 in the preliminary orientation stage, two preliminary stages for designation. We were also able to show the annual yield of the cantons' identified suitability areas and compare it with the forecast annual yield from the Federal Office of Energy's 2022 study.

How does this comparison turn out?

Jonas: The delta is large: as of June 2025, we have around 7 terawatt hours with all the wind suitability areas that have been determined, are in the interim result or in the preliminary orientation phase. That is very little compared to the 30 terawatt hours that Switzerland could produce per year using wind energy according to the study by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. It is to be expected that the yield of the suitability areas designated by the cantons is lower, as the study by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy is a "high-level study", meaning that the cantons carried out more detailed analyses for the designation. In view of this discrepancy and Switzerland's energy requirements, especially during the winter months, it can be assumed that further suitable areas will be designated in the regional spatial strategies in the future.

Which cantons are furthest along in revising their regional spatial strategies and designating wind suitability areas?

Jonas: The canton of Lucerne is certainly making good progress. It has a planning approval procedure, it has designated various suitable areas and it is generally taking a proactive approach to the topic of wind energy. For example, it has created an office to oversee the planning approval process, i.e. it provides expertise and resources for the topic.

Where do you see the biggest challenges for the cantons in designating suitable areas?

Jonas: One major challenge is ensuring that the designated areas are actually technically feasible. For example, there are suitability areas where the slopes are simply far too steep. At Basler & Hofmann, we combine technical expert witness with spatial planning in the wind team and can contribute the technical aspects when advising the cantons. In our experience, it is of little use if a canton designates suitable areas that are not technically feasible. Apart from that, there is also some opposition from the municipalities in the cantons, particularly with regard to landscape protection. The cantons are required to weigh up the interests of wind energy against the impact on the landscape. The third challenge I see is the procedures: there is still a lack of practice in some cantons: Which zoning regulations are necessary and sensible? Is a value-added tax due because the land is worth more? How can the population be financially involved? We were able to comprehensively investigate possible forms of financial participation in energy infrastructure for the canton of Zurich and have published this in the public study "Financial participation options for wind turbines".

What do you recommend to cantons that are still in the early stages of designating suitable areas for wind?

Jonas: The positive thing is that you can learn from the experiences of other cantons. The cantonal authorities are also doing this. I personally recommend that the cantons take greater account of technical feasibility when designating areas. If you do this, you can almost certainly exclude some suitable areas, focus on other areas and better justify their suitability.

According to the "Axpo Energy Reports", the expansion of wind energy is necessary for both supply scenarios. From your perspective, how could the expansion of wind energy in Switzerland be accelerated?

Jonas: Safety and Security, the planning approval procedures in the cantons. Then also a technical reality check of the suitability areas. And generally a mood that encourages investment. Additional fees, conditions and demanding procedures can act as a disincentive to investment. And the cantons should constantly review and update the wind suitability areas, for example by adapting them to new technologies available on the wind energy market.

The study "Analysis of cantonal spatial strategies for wind energy in Switzerland" from June 2025 by Basler & Hofmann was carried out in collaboration with Michael Steiner, a specialist in planning, construction, site development and environmental law at raumwirksam.