Gerhard Christiner, CEO of the local electricity transmission company Austrian Power Grid (APG), speaks clearly in an exciting TV interview with Gerhard Koller: “It is gratifying when we produce more and more electricity from renewable energy sources using wind energy or photovoltaics. But after it has been produced, this electricity must also be transported via high-voltage lines to where it is needed.”
And these consumer places are often somewhere very different from the place of production. For example, a lot of domestic wind energy is produced on the Parndorfer Platte in the north of Burgenland, but the electricity is then mainly needed at industrial sites, for example in Upper Austria. This requires the construction of extensive new lines – and quickly: electricity must not only be produced, but also used in the right quantity and in a targeted manner.
Balancing exercise worth billions
A balancing act that is necessary to prevent the system from falling over. This requires billions of euros to be invested in the expansion of the line, as is currently the case in the Salzburg region or in the Lower Austrian Weinviertel. And “this should all go much faster than has been the case so far,” says Christiner on krone.tv.
Similar problem in Germany
Germany has a similar problem: a lot of electricity is generated in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea with huge wind turbines, but it is needed in the very south of the country, for example in Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg. However, the electricity transport required for this must first be set up and financed on a large scale, just as in Austria.
You can see the current status of the expansion of renewable energy in our country and how much money is needed for which projects in the explosive video above.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
