CTO Assessment - European Commission

UPPER AUSTRIA
a model for a
RE REGION
Contact: Christine Öhlinger •O.Ö Energiesparverband
Linz, Upper Austria • Austria • Tel: + 43-732-7720-14380
Email: office@esv.or.at • Website: www.esv.or.at
A very proactive regional government put
into place a regional energy strategy in
1994. It continued in 2000 with a second
phase called «Energy 21» which sets complementary
objectives, consisting of 25
concrete measures following a timetable.
Thanks to this programme, the share of
renewable energy sources (RES) increased
in Upper Austria from 25 % in 1993 to
more than 30% currently of the primary
energy consumption.
Main aims and motivations
The main aim of the Upper Austrian energy
strategy is that based on clear political
commitment, an action plan which comprises
a mix of measures targeting at different
market actors, should be consequently
implemented. The implementation
of the action plan is done by the regional
energy agency O.Ö. Energiesparverband,
which is very close to the market actors.
Besides the environmental benefits, the
energy strategy also brings clear economic
advantages for the region. Currently more
than 10,000 jobs are secured by renewable
energy sources. A network of companies
working in the field of sustainable
energy has been established in the region,
where 133 partners are co-operating.
These green energy businesses achieve a
total turn-over of more than 235 million€
and employ around 2,000 people.
The initiative
In 1994 concrete goals to reduce fossil fuel
consumption by increasing both energy efficiency
and the use of RES by 2000 were set
and a comprehensive energy action plan was
developed and implemented, which led to a
significant market development of renewable
energy sources and the achievement of the
policy goals set by the energy strategy.
In the year 2000, the Upper Austrian Government
unanimously passed the second
phase of the regional energy strategy, the
«Energy 21», including again ambitious objectives
to be met by the implementation of a
clearly specified action plan consisting of 25
concrete measures.
O.Ö. Energiesparverband, the regional energy
agency of Upper Austria is responsible
for the implementation of most of the measures
included in the action plan.
As a result of the implementation of the energy
strategy, the share of RES increased
from 25 % to more than 30 %, featuring a
leading position in modern biomass installations
but also a number of other RES installations,
e.g. solar thermal, PV plants, small
hydro power plants, wind power plants, etc…
Achievement by the end of 2002 in biomass
A leading position in modern biomass installations:
15,100 modern wood heating installations (852 MW)
32 % of all Austrian wood chips installations
200 biomass district heating plants
4,500 wood pellets central heating installations
27 % of all Austrian wood pellets installations
12 large pellet producing companies
15 companies producing biomass boilers & stoves
Achievements in other sectors
650,000 m² solar thermal collectors (7/2003), 470 m²/1000 inhabitants
600 PV plants (2,600 kWp)
> 500 small hydro power plants (< 10 MW)
17 wind power plants (7/2003), 14.4 MW
> 30 biogas and > 30 sewage gas plants
geothermal energy (50 MW), one plant for electricity generation
Main innovative aspects
One main novel aspect of the Upper Austrian
energy strategy is that it combines
measures creating a demand for sustainable
energy products and services while at
the same time offers measures to meet the
created demand appropriately.
Enabling factors
A number of well targeted support programmes
were implemented in order to
reach different target groups using different
measures and targeting at the supply
and the demand side, including for example:
Creating «demand» for sustainable energy
products and services: energy information
and awareness raising, energy
advice (15,000 energy advice sessions
annually), seminars, conferences...
Supply side: training & education, R&D
programme, regional TPF-programme,
quality control.
Challenges
One of the main challenges was to continue
the successful development to reach
the really ambitious objectives of the Energy
21 strategy and to bring the positive
market development also to other sectors. As
an example, the ambitious aim in the biomass
sector is to double modern biomass heating
installations till 2010.
In the year 2000, the Energy 21 strategy set
the target of reaching 1,000,000 m² of solar
thermal collectors by 2010 - equalling nearly
1 m² per inhabitant!
Replication potential
The approach taken in Upper Austria can
serve as an example for other regions and
countries in Europe that a strategic approach
based on a strong political commitment and
a clear action plan can lead to a significant
change in energy production and consumption.
46 CTO - Showcase