There are currently 31 wind turbines in Upper Austria, producing 115 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. According to the Wind Power Interest Group (IGW), another 80 wind turbines could be added by 2030. The business location and the energy-intensive industry in particular would benefit from renewable energy, said Josef Plank (Chairman of IGW) and Joachim Payr (Chairman of IGW Upper Austria) at a press conference in Linz.
The 80 wind turbines would provide 1.2 terawatt hours of clean electricity, which corresponds to eight percent of the state’s total electricity consumption. The expansion is necessary in order to achieve Austria’s climate goals – 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030. The division into wind power zones sought by the state of Upper Austria is welcomed by the IGW. It could possibly speed up the process: The zoning includes a strategic environmental assessment, which could eliminate the need for additional dedication, said Payr.
Accelerated procedures required
However, accelerated administrative procedures are needed to implement the projects on time. While in some federal states the approval process is completed in two years, in other states it can take six to eight years in extreme cases, said Plank. “The wind power industry has doubled the number of its employees, and the number of applications will increase,” said Payr. Accordingly, the number of staff in the authorities must also be increased.
The expansion of wind power means cheap electricity and a secure energy supply for the population and companies: “Upper Austria has great untapped potential that absolutely must be used. This is the only way to secure the economic location with its thousands of jobs in the long term,” said Payr. The companies themselves know this too, for example Voestalpine is a member of IG Windkraft. Around 30 Upper Austrian companies are also suppliers to the global wind industry.
Changing landscape
The basis for or against a project must be made on a factual and legal basis, it was said. The “question of whether people like the wind turbine” should not play a role. “The energy transition will change the landscape, but that is being done to preserve the location,” said Payr. He comes from Munderfing, where a wind farm has been located for almost ten years. The community is proud of the project, he says. The biggest obstacles to expansion are misinformation and political disagreements in local councils, which then prevent the realization of wind turbines.
Another obstacle is the lack of an Electricity Industry Act (ElWG), which will probably not be implemented in this legislative period. This sets the legal framework for the switch to renewables, and the expansion of the grid in particular is linked to it. At present, grid operators are not allowed to build storage facilities, as this would slow down expansion. “We are losing valuable time, and that is unacceptable,” said Plank.
