Austria: 100% of the country's electricity to be produced from renewable sources by 2030

According to a new study published by the Institute for Energy Economics GmbH, Austria plans to have 100 per cent of its electricity produced from renewable sources by 2030 and to be climate neutral by 2040, the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce reported on its website on 6 December. Important steps towards these goals are more efficient use of energy and the large-scale expansion of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics and wind power. Austria currently accounts for 75 per cent of total green electricity consumption, the highest in the EU.

According to the report, Austria still has to rely on imported electricity, especially in the autumn and winter months. In the future, Austria will also have to continue to rely on imports for its electricity and other energy needs. In order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality, Austria should develop synthetic fuels. Synthetic fuels can be obtained from coal, natural gas and oil shale biomass. Considerable energy is required to produce synthetic fuels, but existing infrastructure, such as pipelines, oil depots and petrol stations, can continue to be used without additional conversion costs. Synthetic fuels should therefore be one of the three pillars of an Austrian sustainable energy system, alongside climate-friendly electricity and hydrogen energy.