Solar panels in Martigny

Are you looking for solar panels in Martigny, or a solar installation for your roof in the bend of the Rhône? The town enjoys the dry, sunny climate of the Rhône valley, hot in summer, which makes it naturally well suited to solar energy. This page explains what to expect for a project in town or on the hillsides.

Photovoltaic or thermal: what should you put on your roof in Martigny?

Two technologies go by the name “solar”. Photovoltaic panels produce electricity. Thermal collectors heat water, most often for the shower and the kitchen. The choice depends on what you consume: a house with a heavy electricity bill benefits from photovoltaics, whereas a household that uses a lot of hot water may be interested in thermal.

In Martigny, several situations come up regularly:

• the valley-floor villa, with a large, unobstructed roof slope, often the simplest installation to study;
• the rented apartment block or co-owned building, where the roof is shared and where the sharing of the electricity produced must be planned from the start;
• the small business or workshop, whose flat or gently pitched roof can hold many modules;
• the hillside house, more exposed to wind and, depending on altitude, to snow.

A valley town between hillsides, Roman remains and a crossing point

Martigny is the town of the Rhône bend, a crossroads towards the Great St Bernard and Chamonix. The valley floor offers large roofs, but the buildings vary: residential districts, service buildings, houses on the slopes that line the valley. Each type of roof raises its own questions: pitch, orientation, shadows cast by a neighbour, a chimney or a tree.

Heritage also matters. The town is home to a Roman amphitheatre and the Pierre Gianadda Foundation, places that make it well known. If your building is listed as cultural heritage or located in a protected site, the simple notification rule does not apply in the same way: the installation may then require a permit. Do not assume anything and ask the municipality whether your plot is affected.

Sun, heat and snow: what the location changes for solar

The Rhône valley is dry and sunny, and summer heat is an asset for summer output. It also has a technical consequence that the installer must be aware of: very hot modules produce slightly less than cool ones, and ventilation under the panels matters.

On the hillsides and in the side valleys, the climate is colder and snowier. If your roof is at altitude, snow may cover the panels for periods, slide off the roof in clumps and call for suitable snow guards. State clearly in your request where the house is: altitude, orientation and pitch influence the mounting and what you can expect from the installation in winter.

Another point: a solar installation is often planned together with the rest of the building envelope. A roof to be renovated before installation, insufficient insulation or a heating system to be replaced can change the right moment to start the project. The pages heat pump in Martigny and windows and double glazing in Martigny can help you see the whole picture.

Notification, permit, landlord’s agreement: the procedures

At federal level, art. 18a of the Spatial Planning Act (LAT) provides that a solar installation sufficiently well adapted to a roof, in a building or agricultural zone, generally requires only a notification and not a permit. The exception concerns cultural heritage buildings and protected sites.

At Valais level, the building permit is issued by the municipality in a building zone, and by a cantonal commission outside the building zone. For energy, the cantonal energy and hydropower department runs the canton’s subsidy programme. The rules change: confirm the procedure that applies to your roof with the municipality of Martigny or the competent cantonal department before work begins.

On the owner’s side:

• if you are a tenant, the owner must give their agreement in writing;
• in a co-owned building, the roof is a common part: the decision goes through the meeting of owners, under the association’s rules;
• for a chalet or second home, specific rules under the federal Second Homes Act may apply in the municipalities concerned, to be checked case by case.

Financial support: check before you order

For photovoltaics, a one-off federal payment exists, handled by Pronovo. Cantonal or municipal subsidies may be available. Never count on a subsidy without checking its conditions: some are granted only if the application is filed before work begins. Ask the installer to state, in the offer, what is and is not included in the administrative procedures.

Preparing your request and comparing quotes

The more precise your description, the more comparable the offers will be. Before requesting a quote, gather:

• the address and type of building (villa, apartment block, business premises);
• the shape of the roof, its approximate pitch, orientation, roofing material and condition;
• your electricity or hot water consumption, with a recent bill;
• your goals: reduce the bill, supply your tenants, prepare for an electric vehicle;
• your status as owner, co-owner or tenant, and whether an agreement exists;
• any constraint: protected building, cast shadow, difficult access for a crane or scaffolding.

A good quote details the planned capacity, the number and type of modules, the inverter, the mounting structure, the grid connection, the notification and payment procedures, the scaffolding and any removal of old equipment. The cost varies mainly with the size of the installation, the complexity of the roof, access, the need for a storage system and the connection time. Compare the services line by line, not just the total.

Other useful pages for your project in Martigny

• The trade in general: solar panels
• The town: works in Martigny
• The canton: canton of Valais
• In the same municipality: heat pump in Martigny, windows and double glazing in Martigny, kitchen renovation in Martigny