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Under power - to the location of electricity consumption in Austria

Is electricity consumption in Austria sustainable or are we still purchasing nuclear power?

From 2019 the large-scale exchange in Western Austria starts on "intelligent" electricity meters. They are already installed in other regions of Austria. But what are the so-called smart meters? Is electricity consumption in Austria sustainable or are we still purchasing nuclear power? The location of electricity consumption in Austria.

To create the energy transition, cities, municipalities and regions set various initiatives. From the e-mobility offer to the promotion of photovoltaic systems. The catalog of measures is long. Nevertheless, there is bad news ahead: The expansion of renewable energy shows down, as the study of the BMVIT "Innovative Energy Technologies in Austria - Market Development 2016" shows. For example, biomass boiler sales plummeted by 10,9 percent, the solar thermal market by 18,7 percent, and wind power expansion by as much as 28,7 percent. Only the photovoltaic could reach according to study a small increase by 2,6 per cent. The reasons for these declines are, according to the study authors, especially in "unfavorable conditions".

Innovations and investments

Industry representatives agree that this must now be improved by politicians. When it comes to electricity, Franz Hofbauer, President of the OVE Österreichischer Verband für Elektrotechnik, is certain that a variety of measures are required for the success of the energy transition: "In order for this paradigm shift to succeed, challenges in the field of decentralized electricity generation and storage, from e-mobility to network and data management for smart grids. Overall, the investments required for this, especially in the network infrastructure, are estimated to be up to 50 billion euros by 2030. "Investments are already being made in western Austria: the large-scale exchange of digital," intelligent "electricity meters will start in 2019. To this end, the four large network operators in Western Austria have come together to form the “Smart Meter West” cooperation. The changeover not only fulfills legal requirements (El-WOG 2010), but also creates added value for customers: electricity customers can see for themselves how much energy they need on the web. Such a control helps to locate energy guzzlers and to save electricity. Because the most environmentally friendly electricity is still electricity that has not been used. Ultimately, this also saves the budget. In November 2017, according to the Austrian electricity price index, the electricity price reached its highest level since November 2015.

Renewable energies currently cover one third of the total energy supply in Austria. 50.208 GWh comes from biomass, 5.700 GWh from wind power, 2.130 GWh from solar thermal and 1.096 GWh from photovoltaics. In total, this will save more than 13 million t CO2. At the same time, Austria is still importing oil, gas and coal worth 10 billion euros every year.

More transparency required

Austria is at least at first glance on the paper free of nuclear power. Because all providers have their electricity certified. But: Several Austrian provincial utilities are in (partial) possession of German nuclear power companies. Here is the state policy is required to ensure that the majority owners that profits in sustainable investments in the sense of the Austrian energy future are invested and not in the coffers of nuclear companies land, said Karl Schellmann, climate spokesman of WWF Austria, Often, "creative" large corporations also simply found an (Austrian) subsidiary, which buys electricity from the stock exchange, including evidence, and never directly operates a (renewable) power plant. "The green power contract in these cases pleases the director-general and its shareholders, but makes no additional contribution to the energy transition, as is the case with the actually committed providers," explains Schellmann. The Anti-Atomic Committee now demands that everyone who sells electricity in Austria must disclose to e-control all information on electricity production and electricity trading. Currently come loud IG wind power around 30 percent of electricity in Austria from non-renewable sources. Because in addition to the electricity imports (almost 15 percent of total electricity consumption), another 15 percent of the power supply is still covered by gas and coal power plants.

Karin Bornett

Image: Sibylle mouse

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Written by Karin Bornett

Freelance journalist and blogger in the Community option. Technology-loving Labrador smoking with a passion for village idyll and a soft spot for urban culture.
www.karinbornett.at

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