Austria is accelerating the development of renewable energy

According to the Energy Trends 2023 survey report released by Austrian media recently, 91% of respondents in the country believe that it is necessary to rapidly expand the development of renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydropower, 82% of respondents said that they accept the installation of wind turbines and solar panels in their communities, and 79% of respondents are willing to use renewable energy. As an important way to achieve the goal of net zero emissions, the Austrian government has prioritized the development of renewable energy, setting a target of 100% electricity supply from renewable sources by 2030.

Austria is rich in water resources, and hydropower is the most important renewable energy source in the country, accounting for about 60% of total electricity generation. With nearly 100 large hydropower plants and thousands of small hydropower plants, Austria has one of the largest installed hydropower capacity in Europe.

In addition to hydropower, Austria has invested heavily in other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power in recent years. The rapid growth in the number of wind turbines and solar panels installed in the country has driven a significant increase in the share of wind and solar in the energy mix. Recently, the latest energy project of the Austrian Highway and Bridge Management company was put into operation, eight micro wind turbines were installed on the piers of the highway viaduct 140 meters above the ground to provide green electricity for the local toll station.

In terms of photovoltaic power generation, the Austrian government launched the Austrian Integrated Grid Infrastructure Plan in early July this year. According to the plan, 40% of the PV installation target needs to be allocated to the roof of the building, and the remaining 60% is provided by the states. Herbert Pyle, CEO of Austrian Photovoltaics, said the plan aims to stimulate the potential of renewable energy development across Austria. According to the plan, Austria will deploy about 11 terawatt hours of photovoltaic capacity across the country to increase the supply of renewable energy.

The development of renewable energy in Austria is closely related to the government's support policies. Electricity prices and investment subsidies introduced by the government are more attractive to investors. In 2022, the Austrian government announced 300 million euros to support the development of renewable energy. At the same time, in order to ensure the profitability of power generators, the Austrian government is also considering the issuance of market subsidies to balance the cost of renewable energy generation with the international electricity market price.

Austria actively carries out international cooperation in the field of renewable energy, seeking resource sharing and complementary advantages. Austria and China are increasingly cooperating in the field of renewable energy. In June this year, Longi Green Energy, a Chinese new energy technology company, signed a supply framework agreement with Austrian photovoltaic companies to supply at least 1.5 GW of photovoltaic modules for several projects within three years. Shanghai Aixu New Energy Company signed a memorandum of strategic cooperation with Austria's Burgenland Energy Company to set up an exhibition center in Burgenland with the theme of climate neutral technologies and solutions. The two sides will also carry out technological innovation research and development cooperation in areas such as microgrids, energy Internet and carbon neutrality.

The Austrian energy organization believes that to meet the goal of 100% renewable energy supply by 2030, the country needs to add 27 terawatt hours of renewable energy capacity. There are still challenges to achieving this goal. Natural gas consumption, for example, is on the rise; The approval process for renewable energy projects such as wind power takes a long time. "Renewable energy is about the energy transition of the whole country. If we do not accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040 will not be achieved." Said Barbara Schmidt, secretary general of the Austrian Energy Organization.