The expansion of green electricity generation is accelerating sharply this year, especially in the case of photovoltaic solar energy, the installed capacity is expected to increase by 2,000 to almost 6,000 megawatts. But without investment, some of it will likely come to naught.
The downside is that “the electricity grid is already at its limit and the reserves have been used up,” warns Gerhard Christiner, board member of APG, which operates the high-voltage grid.
Poor infrastructure
Without these high-quality cables and a massive expansion of transmission lines, substations and transformers, the construction of new wind or PV systems is pointless because the electricity generated cannot be dissipated. It is becoming increasingly common for systems to no longer receive connection permits.
APG therefore wants to invest a record amount of nine billion euros in 2034. The focus is on four regions:
- Eastern Austria
- Greater Linz area
- Ennstal/Leoben
- Salzburgerland
But to implement this quickly enough, many preconditions were missing, says Christiner. There is no national comprehensive energy plan, some states are reluctant to identify suitable areas for further wind and PV projects, and procedures are almost always delayed.
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.
