General
Renewable energy policy in Austria exists on three levels: the Federal level, the regional level of the provinces (Bundesländer) and the local level of municipalities. Important contributions from renewable energy sources regard large hydropower for electricity, biomass for heat and power and solar thermal installations. On the Federal level the programme klima:aktiv (started 2004 by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management) aims at reducing CO₂-emission and increasing the penetration of renewable energy sources. Regarding renewables, focus is on biogas and biomass, solar thermal and heat pumps. Typical for the Austrian programmes is that they are easily accessible through the internet and through telephone hotlines. With the decision of the Green Electricity Act 2009 of 23 September 2009 in the National Council (confirmed October 8, 2009 in the Bundesrat) essential contents of the second Ökostromgesetz of 2008 entered into force. The decision of Parliament had become necessary because of concerns of the European Commission regarding the cost cap for energy intensive industry (Ökostromkostendeckelung) , which will therefore not enter into force.

The following changes can be observed:

• Instead of the Ökostromkostendeckelung a de minimis compensation scheme (Rückvergütungsregelung) has come in place: companies whose green power costs are higher than 0.5% of the net production value (Nettoproduktionswert) for the years 2008 to 2010 a total maximum of 500,000 euros may be paid (under certain conditions).
• The amount of the lump sum for the (partial) financing of the cost of green electricity will be maintained until 2012 at unchanged levels, ie, for domestic customers at the amount of 15 euros per year.
• Small-scale hydropower is promoted in future by investment subsidies instead of feed-in tariffs. In total, 75 million euros for investment grants are available.
• Feed-in tariffs for new plants will be guaranteed up to 15 years fuel-spending technologies such as biomass and biogas, or up to 13 years for all others, such as wind power and photovoltaics.
• Every year 21 million Euro will be available for further support of new renewable energy installations

Renewable energy projections according to the National Renewable Energy Action Plan for Austria
The National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) for Austria was submitted in July 2010. The target according to Annex I of Directive 2009/28/EC is 34% for the year 2020 and the projected NREAP share in that year is 34.2%.  According to the projection, the most important contribution in the year 2020 is expected from hydropower (42.1 TWh or 3621 ktoe, 39% of all renewable energy). Second important contribution is expected from biomass (renewable heating and cooling) (3607 ktoe, 39% of all renewable energy). The third largest contribution is from biomass (renewable electricity) (5.1 TWh or 443 ktoe, 5% of all renewable energy). Onshore wind power contributes with 2.6 GW (4.8 TWh) in the year 2020. For solar photovoltaic the 2020 contribution is projected to be 322 MW (306 GWh). For solar thermal the 2020 contribution is projected to be 269 ktoe. The two most important biofuels are projected to contribute 410 ktoe (biodiesel) and 80 ktoe (bioethanol / bio-ETBE) by 2020. The renewable electricity production from solid biomass amounts to 4.5 TWh (390 ktoe) and for biogas it is expected to be 0.6 TWh (50 ktoe). The consumption of renewable heat is expected to amount to 3591 ktoe for solid biomass and 16 ktoe for biogas.

The Directive 2003/30/EC (EC Biofuels Directive) was transposed into Austrian national law as a quota obligation by an amendment to the Fuel Order (Kraftstoffverordnung) in November 2004. Indicative targets for biofuels have been set at 2.5% in 2005, 4.3% in 2007 and 5.75% in 2008.

An amendment to the Fuel Order (Kraftstoffverordnung) took place in November 2004 and is aiming at implementing specific quotas in order to promote the use of biofuels. Since 2005, biofuels in Austria are mainly used by adding biodiesel to conventional diesel, and since 2007 by addidng bioethanol to fossil transport fuels. Under Austrian legislation, since 1 October 2005 a person subject to the substitution requirement has had to replace with biofuels 2.5% (calculated on the basis of energy content) of all petrol and diesel fuels used in transport. The proportion rose to 4.3% in 2007 and to 5.75% in 2009. The Fuel Order was last novellized in June 2009. Since this last amendment up to 7 vol % can be added to diesel and fossil fuels. In 2009 the use of biofuels in the Austrian transport sector avoided the emission of 1,7 million tons CO2 equivalent.

As of October 2007 gasoline blends received an excise duty relief of 0.5 cent/liter. The minimum share of biofuel is 4.4% (volume).  The excise duty for both diesel and gasoline blends are:

Pure biofuels are still exempt from mineral oil taxes.

The table below lists the main biofuel-related measures in Austria. The table has been taken from the ELOBIO project .

The environment ministry (Umweltministerium) and the Federal Environmental Agengy (Umweltbundesamt) annually publish an updated biofuel report.

In 2009 521.611 tons of biodiesel were used, 405.909 tons thereof where used for blending fossil fuel. 115.702 tons were used as pure biofuels. 99.628 tons of bioethanol were put into operation in 2009. The substitution target of 5,75% (measured in energy content) was clearly passed with 7%.

In 2010  501.663 tons of biodiesel were used, 427.900tons thereof where used for blending fossil fuel. 73.763 tons were used as pure biofuels. 106.201 tons of bioethanol were put into operation in 2010. The substitution target of 5,75% (measured in energy content) was clearly passed with 6.58% although slightly lower compared to 2009.

No future changes available.

Sources

Bundesminister für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft 2009: Änderung der Kraftstoffverordnung 1999 (BGBl. II Nr. 168/2009):

EurObserv'ER Biofuels Barometer, http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro204.asp, July 2011

EurObserv'ER Biofuels Barometer, http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro198.asp, July 2010

EurObserv'ER Biofuels Barometer, http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro192.asp , July 2009

EurObserv'ER Biofuels Barometer, http://www.eurobserv-er.org, June 2008

ELOBIO, Inventory of biofuel policy measures and their impact on the market, September 2008,  http://www.elobio.eu/publications

Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC (Entry into force on June 25th, 2009), download from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32009L0028:EN:NOT

The National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) are all published on the Transparency Platform on Renewable Energy: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/action_plan_en.htm (sourced July - December 2010)

Renewable Energy Projections as Published in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans of the European Member States, http://www.ecn.nl/nreap (sourced December 2010)

Umweltbundesamt 2011: Biokraftstoffe im Verkehrssektor 2011. Zusammenfassung der Daten der Republik Österreich, gemäß Art. 4, Abs. 1 der Richtlinie 2003/30/EG für das Berichtsjahr 2010, June 2011, http://www.lebensministerium.at, http://extranet.fcio.at/uploads/austria_2011_de_132494_DE.pdf  (sourced July 2011)

Umweltbundesamt 2010: Biokraftstoffe im Verkehrssektor 2010, Zusammenfassung der Daten der Republik Österreich gemäß Art. 4, Abs. 1 der Richtlinie 2003/30/EG für das Berichtsjahr 2009, available at: http://www.lebensministerium.at/article/articleview/84046/1/26823/ (sourced, June 2011)

Umweltbundesamt 2010: ENERGIEWIRTSCHAFTLICHE INPUTDATEN UND SZENARIEN ALS GRUNDLAGE FÜR DIE KLIMASTRATEGIE 2020 UND DEN
MONITORING MECHANISM 2011 Synthesebericht 2011, available at http://www.umweltbundesamt.at/fileadmin/site/publikationen/REP0333.pdf, (sourced June 2011).

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Last update: July 2011