Austria's energy transition: Experts warn of unused PV potential

Austria's energy transition: Experts warn of unused PV potential

In the current discussion about the energy transition in Austria, it is becoming increasingly clear that photovoltaics will play a central role. Experts, especially Hubert Fechner, chairman of the technology platform Photovoltaics, emphasize the need to establish open space PV systems in a recently published study to achieve the country's climate goals by 2030.

The climate goals provide a gain of up to 21 terawatt hours (TWH) of photovoltaic energy. However, Fechner warns that the potential that can be used on buildings or existing infrastructures will not be sufficient to meet these ambitious targets. This raises the question of where the necessary areas could be available and how quickly appropriate projects can be realized.

The opportunities of the open space PV

The construction of open space PV systems offers a practical solution to close the gap between the planned goals and the existing capacities. Open space systems can be set up quickly and efficiently, which means that they could provide the urgently needed capacities. Fechner emphasizes that this is not only about the creation of new areas, but also about the care and optimization of the existing photovoltaic systems.

In addition, the study emphasizes that political support and investments are required to promote the acceptance of open space PV among the population. The concerns about the use of land and the environmental impact must be taken seriously and integrated into the planning.

The present analysis reaffirms the urgency of measures in photovoltaics in order to be able to meet the climate goals. Without a significant expansion of the open space PV, Austria could not reach its climate goals in the next few years. Further information can be found in the current study .