Google Gemini: Yes, BKW (often referred to as BKW AG or BKW Group, based in Bern) generates electricity using wind and solar energy, though hydropower remains the core backbone of its direct Swiss generation asset portfolio.
Within Switzerland, the vast majority of BKW’s owned generation comes from hydroelectric facilities (run-of-river and storage reservoirs/pumped storage, such as its stakes in major Alpine hydro complexes).
Before BKW decommissioned its Mühleberg nuclear power plant in late 2019, nuclear and hydro split the main generation burden. Today, hydropower is BKW’s dominant domestic source of electricity production.
BKW has built out a large wind energy portfolio, primarily outside Switzerland:
- International Wind Farms: BKW operates wind assets with over 1,000 MW of installed capacity across Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, and Norway. BKW
- Domestic Wind: In Switzerland, wind projects face lengthy regulatory and environmental approval processes, but BKW operates key Swiss wind assets like the Juvent wind farm in the Bernese Jura. Wikipedia
- Overall, wind accounts for roughly 20% of BKW’s total electricity generation across its European portfolio. www.bkw.com
While large-scale utility solar is historically smaller in BKW’s direct generation mix compared to hydro and wind, solar is a major strategic growth area:
- Alpine & Rooftop Solar: BKW participates in pioneering Swiss solar installations (e.g., Mont-Soleil and high-altitude Alpine PV initiatives) and commercial rooftop PV contracting.
- Energy Services & Installation: A massive portion of BKW’s modern business model revolves around building, installing, and servicing rooftop solar and smart grid infrastructure for third-party residential, commercial, and municipal clients across Switzerland.
Summary of Generation Mix
| Power Source | Role in BKW Portfolio |
|---|---|
| Hydropower | Dominant Domestic Source – Main stay for Swiss baseload and peak grid stability. |
| Wind Energy | Major International Asset – Over 1,000 MW capacity operating in Northern & Western Europe. |
| Solar Power | Growing Asset & Service Pillar – Alpine installations, contracting, and grid integration services. |
Reint Jelger: Is it majorly Swiss owned, like what percentage?
Gemini: BKW is majority Swiss public and corporate owned.
Over 62% of the company is directly controlled by Swiss public entities and Swiss energy companies:
| Shareholder / Category | Ownership Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canton of Bern | 52.54% | The public state government of Bern holds the controlling majority. |
| Groupe E SA | 10.00% | A major Swiss energy utility active in Western Switzerland. |
| Free Float / Other Investors | 37.46% | Publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker: BKW). |
Because the Canton of Bern maintains a legal majority of 52.5%, BKW operates as a majority state-owned enterprise (cantonal utility). The majority of its remaining free-floating shares are held by institutional investors, pension funds, and retail shareholders traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
To calculate the money BKW makes per day in Swiss Francs (CHF), we can look at both total company performance and the contribution specifically from its wind and renewable generation operations.
While BKW does not break out standalone net profit specifically for wind power separate from its broader Energy Solutions division (which combines hydro, wind, solar, and energy trading), we can estimate the daily contribution based on production capacity and revenue shares:
- Energy Division Contribution: The Energy division generates an operating profit (EBIT) of roughly CHF 363.5 million to CHF 477.2 million annually (~CHF 1.0 million to CHF 1.3 million per day).
- Wind Share: Wind energy accounts for roughly 20% of BKW’s overall power generation volume (primarily driven by its international wind farm operations across Germany, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and Switzerland).
Applying this 20% generation share to BKW’s total operating profit suggests that wind energy directly accounts for approximately CHF 200,000 to CHF 300,000 per day in operating income (EBIT) for BKW.