Event „Alibi Action Energy Transition“

rk partners hosted PHH (IN)Talk

More than a year ago, the Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG) came into force, intended to set the course for the energy transition. However, to date, expansion has been progressing significantly less rapidly than planned. PHH energy law expert Dominik Kurzmann discussed the topic „Alibi Action Energy Transition“ yesterday with Eveline Steinberger Kern, Founder of Blue Minds Group and investor in energy start-ups, and Alfred Weinberger, Managing Director of agro-PV specialist Amarenco Solar Austria, at the PHH (IN)Talk.

Eveline Steinberger-Kern, Managing Director of Blue Minds Group, views the current situation critically: „The topic of renewable energy has been neglected for too long.“ Her company has been investing in energy start-ups in Austria and abroad since its founding in 2014. Her appeal for Austria as a business location: „Viable legal foundations must be created to optimally utilize Austria’s potential in the area of energy efficiency and to further expand renewable energies. Austria is in the fortunate position of having many young companies and investors with the determination to drive the energy transition forward. Attractive legal framework conditions are crucial to prevent the manufacturing industry, know-how, and investor capital from migrating abroad.“

Dominik Kurzmann, Partner at rk partners and Head of the Energy Law Team, nevertheless believes that the Renewable Energy Expansion Act and thus the possibility of establishing energy communities for local production and consumption of electricity was an important step, but that key building blocks for the intended energy transition are still missing. While the second funding call for the promotion of generation facilities through investment grants is already underway, the implementing regulation for market premiums is still under review. In addition, approval procedures for renewable energy facilities continue to take a very long time, especially when they are not built on rooftops. „In order to actually achieve the energy transition, we need attractive framework conditions for larger facilities as well,“ says Kurzmann. For him, this includes subsidies, but also planning certainty through clearly structured short procedures. „The amendment to the EIA is intended to facilitate the construction of renewable energy generation facilities, and the implementing regulation for market premiums is intended to create financial incentives. However, both are still under review and are coming very late for many project developers,“ says Kurzmann.

Alfred Weinberger agrees. The Managing Director of Amarenco also calls for a rethinking in politics. At the national level, the groundwork has been laid, but at the state and local political levels, a mixture of ignorance and party-political considerations that stand in the way of securing our long-term future still dominates. Weinberger emphasizes: „The energy transition is not only a climate issue, but particularly a necessity for securing our prosperity in Austria. This requires the rapid addition of very large capacities in wind and photovoltaics, at locations where the grid can absorb this output. Large-scale photovoltaic facilities on open land in combination with agriculture generate electricity well below current market costs and make a significant contribution to an economically affordable and necessary energy transition.“