Energy industry in Austria: Tax pressure endangers renewable!

Energy industry in Austria: Tax pressure endangers renewable!

The Austrian e-economy threatens to plunge into a financial crisis with a new legislative initiative. According to a draft for the budget renovation measures law, the government is not only planning to extend the energy crisis contribution by 2030, but also the introduction of additional special taxes on power generation. These measures could double the existing financial burdens and confront the industry with costs of up to 450 million euros per year, such as . The e-economy, represented by Austria's energy, calls for a review of the effects and a public discourse on the consequences of these tax tightening.

These developments are in the context of an overall demanding economic situation. In the past, the federal government has already made considerable progress in expanding renewable energies, as the current annual report of the BDEW shows. In 2024, over a million new photovoltaic systems were installed, which corresponds to a quadruple compared to 2021. The proportion of renewable energies in gross electricity generation rose to 58 percent, a result that was favored by increasing electricity production from photovoltaics and offshore wind power. Dennoch ist die Stabilität des Stromnetzes gefährdet, da die Einspeisung aus kleinen PV-Anlagen oft unkontrolliert erfolgt, wie bdew.de betont. In order to master the challenges, an adaptation of the legal framework is urgently required.

urgency of the measures

In order to ensure the progress of the energy transition, BDEW demands increased promotion of taxable power plant capacities and flexible regulations for energy supply. The intended improvement of the infrastructure is crucial to ensure security of supply and further reduce harmful CO2 emissions. Even if the average electricity prices have dropped, they remain at a high level. A reduction in electricity tax for everyone, not only for industry, could significantly improve the situation and drive electrification in the sectors traffic and heat. The state's financial support could help reduce the transformation costs for households and companies and to create a broader acceptance among the population.