Austria’s wind turbine industry is experiencing rapid growth, with the first quarter of the year leading to several production records. In order to achieve expansion goals, the pace must be accelerated, with around 150 wind turbines needed to be built every year until 2030, according to industry representative IG Windkraft. Despite resistance from local politicians and citizens’ initiatives, experience shows that regions with existing wind farms have higher approval rates for further expansion.
Around 300 wind turbines are approved or in the approval process across Austria, mostly in Lower Austria, Styria, and Burgenland. As these projects are built, the necessary power grids should also be established. Grid access is increasingly being used for hybrid wind and PV power plants, which complement each other well in terms of electricity generation profiles. By 2030, Austria aims to produce an additional 10 TWh of energy through new installations and replacing older wind power plants with more efficient systems. This would bring the total energy generated by wind turbines in Austria to around 19 TWh per year, equivalent to 25% of the country’s electricity consumption.
Despite challenges such as Austrian federalism slowing down expansion and space constraints in some regions, there is still a significant potential for growth in this sector. Convincing the population and politicians of the benefits of the energy transition could unlock even greater potential for this industry in Austria. Looking at Germany’s example of dedicating two percent of its area to wind power, it is possible that Austria could significantly exceed its 2030 electricity production target if it follows a similar path towards a greener future.
