One of Austria’s largest solar parks went online on Tuesday in Neudau in Eastern Styria. More than 3,500 households are supplied with clean electricity from the 12-hectare photovoltaic system. The area is certainly not “lost”: up to 100 sheep will graze between the solar panels.
The bright sun on Tuesday provided the perfect backdrop for the official commissioning of one of the largest photovoltaic installations in Styria. On an area of approximately 16 football fields, the new solar energy system in Neudau in Eastern Styria now generates clean electricity for more than 3,500 households (about 13 million kWh per year).
Implementation in record time
It took just two years from the idea to commissioning the mega-project – given the urgency of the energy transition, a prime example of how large photovoltaic systems can be quickly built from the ground up. “The very positive collaboration between all involved made it possible to implement it very quickly – we would like to see that the case for other projects that make a significant contribution to climate change,” said Christian Purrer, CEO of Energie Steiermark.
7.5 million euros invested
Property owner Alexander Kottulinsky made the area available and together with real estate company Supernova, Energie Steiermark invested 7.5 million euros in the construction of the 12-hectare facility. “We have kept the population well informed from the start and all decisions in the city council were unanimous,” emphasized Mayor Wolfgang Dolesch (SPÖ).
The photovoltaic system is not clearly visible outside the environment, the intervention in the landscape is limited, at least as far as the general public is concerned. Valuable land is barely covered and will continue to be used for agriculture: soon as many as 100 sheep will graze between the solar panels.
Hundreds of millions for further expansion
However, the solar park in Neudau is far from the last large-scale project that will contribute to the energy transition in Styria. A similarly sized factory will be commissioned in Bärnbach in western Styria in a few weeks. And: “Our solar energy offensive foresees investing about 250 million euros in similar systems in the coming years – our target is about 300 megawatts of output,” said Martin Graf, CEO of Energie-Steiermark. At the same time, a huge expansion of the network infrastructure is needed and further investments of more than 1.5 billion euros will follow.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
