ØFor a long time, three-quarters of Austria’s electricity generation was based on climate-friendly electricity, mainly from hydropower. However, the expansion of wind and solar energy is progressing slowly. It should change now. By 2030, the remaining quarter should also come from renewable electricity, mainly from wind energy, solar energy, and even more hydropower.
One billion euros will flow into the expansion every year, which will be levied as a levy.This is the conclusion reached by the parliament in the voting of the ruling People’s Party and the Green Party and the opposition Social Democratic Party. pole Decided. A two-thirds majority vote is necessary because the law affects national rights.
SPÖ uses leverage to impose restrictions on the cost of low-income earners. Accordingly, those households that do not need to pay broadcasting fees are completely exempt from the green electricity tax. According to SPÖ, for those families who depend on social assistance and minimum pensions or are run by single women, the annual cost is limited to 75 euros. Approximately 550,000 households have benefited from it. Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Green Party) announced that the taxes for the remaining 3.5 million households will increase from the current average of nearly 100 Euros to around 114 Euros. According to industry insiders, Austrian households pay 21 cents per kilowatt hour, compared to almost 32 cents in Germany.
The expansion law is one of the main climate policy projects of the Vienna black and green government, which is deeply mired in domestic political turmoil. In fact, the Renewable Energy Expansion Law (EAG) should have been passed last year. Now Gewessler says: “The energy transition is beginning in Austria.” Magnus Brunner, your country’s secretary of state appointed by ÖVP, stated that a subsidy of 10 billion euros will trigger more than 30 billion euros of investment.
However, the green power balance can only be balanced in 2030. In the event of a bottleneck or winter, gas from the Czech Republic, Hungary or Slovakia or electricity from unpopular nuclear power plants will continue to help ensure electricity supply in Austria.
In order to make this happen as little as possible, the expansion target of 27 terawatt-hour (tWh) additional power supply Green power Regulations: double wind power to 10 tWh and solar power six times to 11 tWh. Another 10% of hydropower will be squeezed out of hydropower, which has been criticized for its impact on the local environment. District heating and hydrogen projects cost hundreds of millions of euros. The payment methods of green power producers will also change: there will be investment subsidies and electricity price surcharges (market premiums) instead of fixed premiums.
The law also includes providing a better status for the so-called energy community, which is the Green Party’s favorite project. Local private green power producers can provide their surplus power to other consumers nearby without requiring or almost no network costs. This is not suitable for the power industry, which usually draws positive conclusions from the law. Michael Strugl, chairman of the Austrian Energy Industry Association, warned: “On the one hand, it is cheap network electricity prices and low flat rates, on the other hand, it pays a market premium for the company’s unconsumed electricity. There is risky competition. The huge distortion of power.” In the end, electricity customers will have to pay for it.
The law still needs to be notified and approved by the European Commission. This is the first step on the road to climate neutrality promised in 2040. Austria’s largest carbon dioxide emissions come from transportation, agriculture and construction. Laws to reduce emissions have been announced, such as higher taxes on oil and gas and improving local public transportation.
