Austria

Rebates are being offered to homeowners and businesses willing to couple small solar systems with energy storage.

The module maker has started producing solar modules at its fab in Liebenfels.

The nation’s political parties have found agreement on a green electricity package which is expected to create stable conditions for the next three years. From next year, €36 million will be made available annually for the further support of PV systems and energy storage.

With the region of Styria considering making PV mandatory on all new buildings, the nation’s Climate Fund will support PV and storage projects in agriculture and forestry. Applications can be submitted by November 2020 – or until the pot is empty.

The Austrian solar sector has welcomed the new draft plan for an integrated climate and energy strategy and, in particular, the planned “100,000 roofs program”. Greenpeace, however, believes a reorientation of climate policy is urgently needed and that the presented measures are inadequate to reach the Paris climate targets.

Austria’s largest power provider announced a plan to invest around €100 million in solar and €15 million in recharge stations for electric vehicles over the next five years. The company aims at investing mainly in residential and C&I projects.

Starting from next year, the incentive scheme for solar in Austria will change. FITs will be prioritized for self-consumption projects. In addition, starting in March 2018, a nationwide storage incentive prorgam will be launched.

The Austrian Parliament has approved a new renewable energy law. For the first time, storage combined with PV will receive support. The local association Photovoltaic Austria expects a 25% growth for PV in 2018.

A small increase of 2.6 % was recorded in the Central European country last year. The Austrian Photovoltaic Association is still calling for an adjustment of the state´s Green Electricity Act to unleash the limited PV extension.

Although the central European country has a solar market with a stable growth, the residential solar-plus-storage segment is still far behind its strong potential. In 2016, around 500 storage systems combined with PV installations were installed under the incentive scheme in the country.