Wind and sun are free, but the targeted expansion of green electricity still costs the state money.
By 2030, there should be 1,900 wind turbines in Austria. There are currently 1,340.
The 14th Austrian Wind Energy Symposium will take place on November 24th and 25th; due to the corona pandemic only on the internet. The industry is hoping for a boost from the Renewable Expansion Law (EAG). Stefan Moidl from IG Windkraft still sees “stumbling blocks”.
In order to be able to achieve the expansion target of ten TWh by 2030, around 120 new wind turbines would have to be built annually. However, that does not mean 120 new locations, because around half of the systems are to replace older ones.
If the IG Windkraft has its way, in ten years there will be 1,900 instead of the current 1,340 wind turbines. Since the new ones are larger and more efficient, around one and a half times the amount of electricity could be generated on the same area with fewer masts and rotors.
Grants
In view of the desired capacity, according to Moidl, one cannot afford to limit the expansion to the most suitable locations. In order for the areas to be built on anyway, IG Windkraft calls for “location-specific funding”. Worse locations should therefore receive more state funding. Critics fear that this will create inefficient structures and then fund them.
So far, the lion's share of Austrian wind turbines are in Lower Austria and Burgenland. The promotion of weaker locations would enable greater regional differentiation and thus also increase the stability of supply. Second, a more regionally oriented power supply would be less dependent on the expansion of high-voltage lines.
IG Windkraft is also hoping that the federal government will provide some concession when it comes to financing the grid expansion. She would like to have a right to network access for new projects and nationwide uniform connection costs, for example in the amount of 50 euros per kilowatt of installed capacity. Any additional costs should therefore be borne by the general public via the network charges.
The wind power industry is not alone in its demand for planning security in the form of tax money. The energy transition cannot be achieved through the free market; it requires political will. In any case, the wind power industry has one argument on its side: while hydropower and photovoltaics deliver more electricity in spring and summer, wind turbines generate 60 percent of their output in the winter half-year.
