What is a LEG?
Local electricity community
The local electricity community (LEG) goes beyond the building: since 1 January 2026, producers and consumers within the same municipality can share locally generated electricity with one another via the public grid – at a reduced grid fee.
Unlike the (v)ZEV, the LEG is an open community: participants in the same municipality, the same grid area and on the same grid level can join and leave again. No shared owner is required. The locally shared electricity comes with a grid usage discount of 40% (or 20% if a higher grid level is used).
The decisive difference in billing: in the LEG, prices are freely negotiable between the participants – the 80% maximum price from the ZEV/vZEV does not apply here. In return, billing becomes more complex due to changing members and individual prices.
At a glance
- Possible since
- 1 January 2026
- Reach
- Entire municipality / grid area
- Grid discount
- 40% or 20%
- Prices
- Freely negotiable (no 80% cap)
Benefits
- Share electricity beyond your own building – across the whole neighbourhood
- 40% or 20% discount on the grid usage of the local electricity
- Open community – members can join and leave
What to keep in mind
- More complex billing due to changing members and free prices
- Requires smart meters and clean 15-minute data
- No statutory tenant protection tariff – prices have to be agreed
How is billing handled in a LEG?
In the LEG, the participants set the prices themselves – the 80% rule from Art. 16b EnV does not apply here. Both the locally shared electricity (with grid discount) and the remaining electricity from the grid are charged, each based on the smart meters’ 15-minute load profiles.
Related topics
The three self-consumption models compared
Self-consumption association
A self-consumption association (ZEV) lets several parties in a building share the solar power from their own roof – and the owner bills that electricity directly to the tenants.
Learn moreVirtual self-consumption association
The virtual self-consumption association (vZEV) delivers the ZEV without new lines: since 1 January 2025, several buildings with their own connections can be combined computationally via the public grid.
Learn moreLocal electricity community
The local electricity community (LEG) goes beyond the building: since 1 January 2026, producers and consumers within the same municipality can share locally generated electricity with one another via the public grid – at a reduced grid fee.
Learn moreWhat is the difference between LEG and ZEV/vZEV?
The (v)ZEV is a closed group (usually one owner) with a statutory 80% maximum price. The LEG is an open community across the entire municipality with freely negotiable prices and a 40/20% grid discount.
Does the 80% maximum price apply in the LEG?
No. Unlike with the ZEV/vZEV, prices in the LEG are freely negotiable between the participants. The tenant protection maximum price from Art. 16b EnV does not apply to the LEG.
Who can join a LEG?
Producers, storage operators and end consumers in the same municipality, the same grid area and on the same grid level. Membership is open – joining and leaving are possible with one month’s notice.
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