East Tyrol covers electricity needs sustainably: district homes benefit!

East Tyrol covers electricity needs sustainably: district homes benefit!

East Tyrol has an innovative approach to using renewable energy that supports both the local community and the environment. Loud Dolomite town The district retirement homes in the region have successfully covered 40 to 50 percent of their daily electricity needs with regionally generated electricity. This initiative is part of a larger project that the “EEG/BEG smart energy Austria” association launched in August 2024.

The establishment of renewable energy communities (EEG) and citizen energy communities (BEG) enables members to trade energy over greater geographical distances. Bertram Steiner, the association's chairman, describes how his daughter in Vienna benefits from cheaper electricity. The BEG is aimed at businesses, industrial companies and private individuals and enables access to domestic green electricity throughout Austria.

Integration of the district retirement homes

The four district retirement homes in Lienz, Nußdorf-Debant, Matrei and Sillian consumed around 1,800,000 kWh of electricity per year, with delivery taking place exclusively via the provider Tiwag until May 2024. Since then, the BEG has been supplying the homes with around 40 to 50 percent of the electricity they need and offering better conditions, as the administrator Franz Webhofer emphasizes. This particularly emphasizes the community spirit and support for private power producers.

A further step in this direction is the planned installation of photovoltaic systems to generate our own electricity in the Matrei residential and nursing home. These measures show how synergistic, collaborative approaches to the use of renewable energies can work.

Financial incentives and legal framework

The approach to using renewable energy is supported by various financial incentives. Loud energiegemeinschaften.gv.at Renewable energy funding contributions will no longer apply, and there will be exemptions from electricity taxes and reductions in network fees for members of EEGs. There are significant savings, particularly in local areas, that promote a sustainable energy future.

These regulations have been in effect since November 1, 2021 and ensure that energy communities are also economically attractive. They use energy where it is generated, which reduces long transport routes and associated costs.

Future perspectives for renewable energies in Austria

From another perspective, that of Statista Austria is striving to become climate neutral by 2050. The goal is for the share of renewable energies in gross final energy consumption to increase to 46-50 percent by 2030. One focus is on fully covering total domestic electricity consumption through renewable energies.

In 2023, the share of renewable energy in primary energy production was over 87 percent, with hydropower providing the majority of this generation. Innovative projects such as the citizen energy communities and the activities of the district retirement homes in East Tyrol are an important part of this development and illustrate the potential benefits of cooperation in energy production.