Austria under pressure: Implementation of Red III until May 21st required!

Austria under pressure: Implementation of Red III until May 21st required!

On May 19, 2025, the deadline for implementing the EU directive on renewable energy (Red III), which is located on May 21, 2025. This guideline, which was published on October 31, 2023 in the EU's Official Journal and comes into force on November 20, 2023, aims to significantly accelerate the expansion of renewable energies in the European Union. The focus is on binding goals and the promotion of a lower bureaucratic effort to facilitate access to effective acceleration areas. All member states are kept to be able to map and implement their space potential for renewable energies by the cut-off date, as [ots] (https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20250519_ots0092/avisoo-pk-zegig-zoeglich- zu-spaet-der-grosse

Austria faces the challenge of effectively implementing these requirements in nine different federal states. In order to discuss suitable strategies and measures, a press conference on Red III implementation in Austria will take place in the Renewable Energy Hub in Vienna on May 21, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Speakers include Martina Prechtl-Grundnig from Renewable Energy Austria (EEÖ) and Dr. Florian Stangl, an expert in energy and European law. The event will also be transferred online, registration is required by May 20, 2025.

new goals and challenges

The Red III amends the previous Red II guideline from 2018 and does not refer to the energy sector exclusively, but also includes industry, traffic, building industry as well as heat and cold production. One central goal of the guideline is to increase the proportion of renewable energies in final energy consumption to at least 42.5 % by 2030. There is also a non-binding goal of 45 %, as Schoenherr explains.

In order to achieve these ambitious goals, the member states must take specific measures. This includes, among other things, the determination of annual declions in the heat and cold sector as well as in traffic. In the heat and cold sector, the proportion of renewable energies must increase by at least 0.8 % annually, while a minimum share of 29 % by 2030 is to be achieved in traffic, combined with the demand for advanced biofuels and biogas.

The way to climate neutrality

The implementation of Red III is particularly important in the context of European climate protection policy, which, among other things, aims to reduce the effects of climate change and to reduce environmental and climate-damaging activities. The EU has undertaken to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % compared to 1990 and strives for 2050 net-null greenhouse gas emissions, as the Federal Environmental Office reports.

With Red III, energy policy goals should not only be linked to one another not only at the national level, but also in a European context with clear obligations. Member States must record the domestic potential of renewable energy generation and the corresponding infrastructure by May 21, 2025. In addition, acceleration areas for renewable energies that are essential for the quick implementation of the climate goals are to be shown by February 21, 2026.

The challenges are diverse, but also opportunities to drive the transformation processes in energy supply and to achieve the desired climate neutrality in Austria by 2040. The coming days up to the printing date for the implementation of Red III will be decisive.