Making solar energy more accessible

Take the example of a homeowner who wants to install solar panels on the roof of their building. He will need to find installers, raise capital and monitor the installation. Founded in February 2023 and based at Microcity, the canton of Neuchâtel's innovation hub, Solarsplit offers guidance to homeowners through each of these stages.

According to its co-founder Wilfried Josset, the idea was born two years ago, following discussions with an architect where they identified three major problems holding back the installation of photovoltaic roofs. Firstly, owners of roofs suitable for panels feel alone and have little support. Secondly, installers are overburdened with administrative tasks when they should be able to devote themselves to their real mission. And thirdly, investors don't know how to invest in green technologies.

Having gained valuable experience in the development of mobile applications with a previous start-up, Josset and his team built and founded Solarsplit to provide a platform that can address these needs. In practical terms, the platform offers three main services. The first facilitates the planning and tendering process for solar installations by putting homeowners in touch with trusted installers. The second enables participatory investment or the pooling of financing options, for example through a green loan. The third is a real-time solar energy monitoring tool using AI to diagnose and optimise the performance of solar installations.

In a boost to solar energy innovation, the Neuchâtel-based start-up has won the prestigious Prix BCN Innovation 2023.

At the moment, Solarsplit is still in beta mode, so it's only accessible to a limited number of installers - with whom the start-up monitors around 1,500 photovoltaic panel installations. According to its co-founder Wilfried Josset, the team plans to open the platform for all users and to raise additional funds through a financial round in 2024.