Storage revolution: Austria's PV industry is expecting a massive investment boom!

Storage revolution: Austria's PV industry is expecting a massive investment boom!

The need for battery storage in Austria is constantly increasing, and the photovoltaics industry expects significant investments in the relevant technologies through the new Electricity Industry Act (ElWG). According to PV Austria, the photovoltaic industry's interest group, investments in battery storage could significantly reduce the costs of expanding the power grid. Herbert Paierl, the head of PV Austria, explains that storing electricity could reduce expenditure on grid expansion by up to one billion euros per year. There are currently around 1 gigawatt (GW) of battery storage in operation, and the capacity is expected to increase to 5 GW by 2030, according to forecasts from a supporting study.

The future need for battery storage will be significantly influenced by the shift in electricity consumption. For example, charging electric cars could play an important role during periods of excess energy. A study commissioned by PV Austria predicts that the need for battery storage will increase eightfold and electricity consumption will double by 2040.

Challenges and demands for expansion

Alfred Weinberger, the managing director of the Amarenco Group Solar Austria, meanwhile criticizes the existing framework conditions: In Austria, battery storage systems have to pay network fees for both loading and unloading. In Germany, the conditions for large-scale storage are much more favorable, which leads to corresponding investments. The ElWG, on the other hand, stipulates that no network costs are incurred if storage relieves the load on the electricity network.

Weinberger expresses the hope that the new law will make the expansion of large storage facilities more attractive. To do this, however, he needs support from political parties such as the FPÖ or the Greens for a comprehensive reform of the electricity market. Paierl also emphasizes that no network fees should be incurred if the feed-in serves the grid and recommends feeding electricity in when the market needs it.

Regional demand forecasts

In terms of geography, the highest needs for battery storage were found in the federal states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria. A detailed analysis shows that demand in these regions will increase significantly by 2040. Lower Austria could soon cover 28% of total battery storage needs, followed by Upper Austria with 19% and Styria with 17%.

The forecasts also describe that by 2040, battery storage could become as important as today's pumped and reservoir storage power plants in the Alps. The need to expand battery storage is not only crucial for the energy transition in Austria, but also for the future energy industry as a whole.

Political and economic framework conditions

PV Austria has formulated clear demands for politicians to support the expansion of renewable energies and the associated storage solutions. These include, among others:

• Flexible Netztarife und die Beseitigung der Doppelbelastung von Stromspeichern.
• Förderung von Markt- und Netzdienlichkeit durch gezielte Förderprogramme.
• Verfahrensbeschleunigung und vereinfachte Genehmigungsverfahren für Batteriespeicherprojekte.

In addition, Gerhard Christiner from Austrian Power Grid AG emphasizes the need to develop high-capacity power grids and digitalized energy systems. Sonja Wogrin from Graz University of Technology shows that the study provides a clear roadmap for storage needs in each federal state.

The challenges are therefore great, but with targeted action and the right political decisions, the conditions for the expansion of battery storage could be optimally designed. The potential is there, but a joint effort from politics, business and research is required to advance the energy transition in Austria. Further information on these topics can be found on the website of Energy News Magazine and PVAustria.