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Austria wants to distribute 10 billion euros so that only green electricity comes out of the sockets in 2030. But that was only the mandatory exercise for the Minister of the Environment, Leonore Gewessler. Freestyle becomes much more difficult.
Austria likes to set the bar high. In just nine years, the government wants the country to become self-sufficient green electricity. It takes nothing less than the biggest building boom in green power plants since the nationalized company built Austria’s large hydroelectric plants decades ago. Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) wants to provide companies with around € 1 billion a year so that someone can build the hundreds of new wind and solar power plants. So says the Renewable Expansion Law (EAG), which the government has finally presented after a long wait.
The politician was sure to receive applause from everyone involved, after all, everyone gets a piece of the cake. Power producers, from wind to biomass, clapped, and even foresters, farmers, and environmentalists joined in the cheers. The government itself did not skimp on superlatives, there is great pride in the “most comprehensive energy law in decades.” In fact, the law is a good step and a necessary basis for the radical restructuring of the electricity system to succeed in 2030. Of course, there are also criticisms: the fact that some areas still need to be improved and the security of supply is still something underrated is a fact.
Much more important, however: the complete electrical transition is just one piece of the puzzle in the fight against climate change, which Austria must face with more determination than before. This is not (only) demanded by environmentalists, but also by the economists of the venerable fiscal council, who are the guardians of the country’s public finances. Because if the country does not control its emissions, there is a risk that fines will be imposed under the EU targets for 2030 at the latest. The fact that the EU Commission announced yesterday that it would further toughen the targets does not alleviate the situation. The crucial question for Austria is not whether the hydroelectric country can also color the last percentage of its electricity mix green. The decisive factor is transport, the only sector in which emissions rise and rise despite an implicit CO2 tax (MÖSt). The distribution of subsidies to green electricity manufacturers is therefore only a mandatory exercise for Gewessler in the Austrian political system. For freestyle it will be more difficult: the coalition must find a way to end the deep love that Austrians have for their cars, without scaring all voters at once.
