2023-11-30 10:20:16
In the medium term, 2 percent of Austria’s land area should be used for wind power
St. Pölten (OTS) – At the start of the World Climate Conference, the wind industry in Austria is showing how wind power generation can be tripled by 2030. This means that wind power might cover a third of electricity consumption. “What is required is the rapid designation of areas for wind farms in the federal states and the redesign of the permits.” In the medium term, 83 billion kWh of wind power can be generated on 2 percent of the country’s area, which is more electricity than is currently consumed in total in Austria. “But it is also clear that the lion’s share of wind power expansion must be implemented in the wind federal states,” emphasizes Hans Winkelmeier from the Energiewerkstatt Association: “The most important wind federal states include Lower Austria, Styria, Burgenland, Carinthia and Upper Austria.”
The World Climate Conference began today in Dubai. One thing is clear right from the start: efforts to protect the climate must be significantly increased by all countries. But the gas crisis in Europe is not yet over. In order to cope with high energy prices and the climate crisis, the large, as yet unused potential of renewable energies must be quickly tapped in Austria. This requires active action, especially from domestic state politics: “Now we need the courage of the federal states to finally designate enough areas so that wind power expansion can really be implemented to the necessary extent,” demands Winkelmeier.
Triple wind power by 2030
“It is possible to almost triple wind power from the current 9 billion kWh to 26 TWh,” said Moidl: “But to do this, the framework conditions in the federal states really have to be adjusted.” Specifically, wind farms will be needed in every federal state by 2030. “The first wind turbines in Vorarlberg and Tyrol are a small but significant contribution to this,” said Moidl: “The wind federal states will make significantly larger contributions to achieving the goal, because that is where the great potential lies.” Lower Austria has 45% of Austria’s wind potential and can build 400 new wind turbines by 2030 – thereby ensuring its own supply of cheap electricity. Styria can build 250 wind turbines, Burgenland 200, Carinthia 140 and Salzburg 50. Although Upper Austria has a high potential with 400 wind turbines, the current framework conditions here are inhibiting expansion. Therefore, a maximum of 80 wind turbines were expected there by 2030. “In total, wind power can increase its electricity production to 26 billion kWh of wind power by 2030, which covers more than a third of today’s electricity consumption. 17 billion kWh of wind power will be added and 1 TWh will be reduced through repowering. 9 billion kWh of wind power will be provided by the existing ones Wind turbines already exist in Austria,” says Moidl: “It is also clear that this expansion is only possible if all federal states commit to the expansion of wind power and actively participate in achieving the goal of covering 100 percent of electricity consumption from renewable energies. “
2 percent of the state area for wind farms
At the beginning of the year, Germany decided that 2 percent of the German land area must be available for wind power expansion by 2032. If these requirements are applied to Austria, 83 billion kWh of wind power might be generated on 2 percent of Austria’s land area. 99 percent of the area can still be used for agriculture and forestry. These dimensions are the result of a current study by the Energiewerkstatt Association on the potential of wind power in Austria. “Given current circumstances, a total of 3.14 percent of Austria’s land area is suitable for wind power use. The theoretical-economic potential is enormous at up to 126 billion kWh. The distribution of potential in the federal states is of course very different. Therefore, the federal states are also “Use different amounts of wind power in the future,” says Winkelmeier from the Energiewerkstatt, explaining the results of his new study: “The use of wind power in western Austria is particularly important for the regional electricity supply, especially in winter. However, the lion’s share of wind power is generated in Lower Austria, Styria, Burgenland, etc Carinthia and Upper Austria are produced.” Moidl adds: “The study clearly shows that the energy transition is not failing because of the wind potential in Austria.”
Target values for 2030 must be adjusted
The Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP) and the Integrated Austrian Network Infrastructure Plan (ÖNIP) show that the 2030 expansion target for renewable electricity generation is well above the 27 TWh set in the Renewable Energy Expansion Act ( EAG) have been anchored so far. Depending on the estimate, these required expansion targets are between 34 and 39 billion kWh. “If there is political will, an increase in the target values might easily be decided in December – in the amendment to the EAG that has just been introduced into parliament,” Moidl demands in conclusion.
Info folder “Wind power on 2% of the country’s area”
On the study by the Energiewerkstatt: “Austria’s wind potential with different extents of land use”
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IG Windkraft Austria
Martin Jaksch-Flying Snow
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