The energy transition to renewable energy sources is going like crazy! While owners of photovoltaic systems complain that they cannot supply their excess electricity, the new electricity situation also places high demands on energy suppliers. Energie AG had to stop production at a hydroelectric power station for a few days this year.
The fear of an energy bottleneck led to a real divide around photovoltaic systems. Solar panels were installed on balconies, roofs and even fences. While some Upper Austrians are very unhappy because they have not yet received permission to supply excess electricity to the grid, the PV boom in the 2022/23 financial year has already led to strange situations at Energie AG.
Too much electricity
“There was too much electricity for several weekends,” says Chief Technology Officer Stefan Stallinger. The result: the energy supplier stopped production at the Traun-Pucking hydroelectric power station for days, opened the dams – and even received money for the electricity that was not produced.
Power station with pumped storage under construction
For CEO Leonhard Schitter, situations like these are confirmation that there is an urgent need for XXL batteries such as those in Ebensee, where Energie AG is building a power plant with pumped storage.
The company, which operates from Linz, is investing 451.3 million euros. The tunnel is scheduled to start in January and is scheduled for commissioning at the end of 2027. No fewer than 19 wind turbines are also being built in the Kobernausserwald.
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.
