The government puts “the largest energy reform for 20 years” on the straight house. The reactions are mixed. The social rate should help low earners. Owners of private PV systems and e-AUTO drivers must have less joy.
The government was already in arrears. Without a new law there is a risk of mass fines. Now the coalition sends the “Electricity Economic Act” in assessment. It is the “largest energy reform in 20 years,” said Energy State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner.
In the future, the network costs must be distributed ‘more fairly’ in the future
“We want to lower the electricity costs and strengthen the security of the delivery,” says Zehetner. It’s about a fair cost distribution. Because network costs will rise considerably in the coming years, “we want to steam that for consumers”. In the future, producers and (private) feeders will also be involved in the costs of the networks.
Moreover, the costs must become more flexible. This means that those who receive electricity must pay less at the time of low network use. The law speaks about the fact that “network users must contribute sufficiently to the system costs”. The precise design will determine the regulatory body of e-check.
A top capacity is also planned: if the overload of the network is disadvantage, only up to 60 percent of the service can be entered in the future, this is a maximum of a few minutes a day.
New social rate and more overview of the invoice
Moreover, there should be a social rate. Everyone who is freed from the ORF allowance must have access to this in the future. He then pays six cents net per kilowatt hour. About a quarter of a million households should benefit from this, with current electricity prices, this support would make up around 35 million euros per year. “The energy suppliers will pay for this,” said Zehetner.
As already announced by the government, it must also become more uncomplicated to buy the neighbor “solar energy. And a change comes for everyone: invoices must become clearer and more transparent in the future, so that every customer can understand them.
How the law comes through parliament is open. Because the government needs a majority of two thirds – the Greens will probably have to vote.
PV industry criticizes the law
Criticism is already from the renewable industry: Vera Immitzer from PV Austria criticizes the uncertainty for more than 500,000 system operators: “The project to introduce extra network costs for feeders is not only short -sighted, but also very risky,” she warns. “Who should be ready for flexibility if that is punished exactly?” The feed -in is hardly attractive to many, new costs make it even less economic.
The PV industry even fears that the planned law will increase the electricity price. Austria already has the second highest food component in the entire EU. Although the import of electricity from the EU outside country is released from taxes and therefore remain more favorable, domestic producers are also taxed, the criticism is.
The greens also come in the same horn. “Everyone who generates clean energy and therefore contributes to climate protection may not be punished for this,” says party leader Leonore Gewessler.
Conclusion: winner and loser
The losers of the new law mainly include those who strongly claim network and electricity capacities, which are, for example, owners of E-cars or heat pumps. If there is a lot of electricity from the network, this can be the bottom line in the future. Operators of private PV systems will also have to expect extra taxes in the future. On the other hand, positive changes come to low earners who benefit from the social rate.
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.
