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Paving the way to recovery with utility-funded energy efficiency
…utility business models and incentives to enable them to fully value and pay for energy efficiency as a cost-effective resource to the energy system. The most prevalent type of utility-funded programmes are energy efficiency obligations – referred to in North America as “energy efficiency resource standards”. These programmes place a binding target on energy utilities (often distributors or suppliers), most often to meet a defined level of energy savings over a specified period of time. They include programmes with tradable “white certificates” such as those in Australia, France and Italy.Several other jurisdictions have competitive tendering schemes or auc...
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Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Austria 2002
…their natural gas and electricity suppliers. Austria has established an independent regulator and non-discriminatory third-party access rules. While reform of the gas sector is too recent to draw any meaningful conclusions, power sector reform has achieved mixed results. Industrial rates have fallen by up to 40% but residential rates have fallen little, if at all. Effective competition still faces obstacles including high system access charges and dominant incumbent suppliers who could wield market power and deter new entrants.
Austria’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13% remains a major challenge. Total greenhouse gas emissions increased nearly… -
Austria 2020
…This report on Austria discusses the energy challenges facing the country and recommends possible solutions to help it achieve a secure and sustainable energy future.
Austria’s new government, which assumed office in January 2020, is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 at the latest – 10 years earlier than the ambition set by the European Union. This will require Austria to substantially enhance decarbonisation efforts across all energy sectors. As in many other countries, decarbonising heat and transport is challenging. In fact, Austria’s emissions growth since 2014 is largely driven by the increase in final energy consumption in…
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Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Austria 2007
…remain. The climate strategy revision in 2007 is commendably realistic, but uncertainty remains whether it will be sufficient, and whether renewables and energy efficiency are well-balanced within it. While Austria is strongly promoting an increase of renewables production by adopting challenging targets, it is less ambitious in the area of energy efficiency. To achieve the renewables target, their supply will have to double, leading to significant increases in costs. In energy efficiency, while Austria is leading in developing efficient building solutions, there are concerns about implementation, especially about the lack of ambition and divergence in building codes. Overall, energy…
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Austria 2026
…this context, the International Energy Agency (IEA) conducts Energy Policy Reviews to support governments in developing more impactful energy and climate policies.This Energy Policy Review was prepared in partnership between the Government of Austria and the IEA. It draws on the IEA’s extensive knowledge and the inputs of expert peers from IEA Member countries to assess Austria’s most pressing energy sector challenges and provide recommendations on how to address them, backed by international best practices. The report also highlights areas where Austria’s leadership can serve as an example in promoting secure and clean energy transitions. It…
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Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Austria 2014 Review
Austria’s energy policy rests on three pillars: security of supply, energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources. The country’s decarbonisation drive has strengthened as the economy and renewable energy use have continued to grow, while fossil fuel use has decreased. Greenhouse gas emissions from energy use, which peaked in 2005, still need to be reduced further, and the transport sector offers prime opportunities for this. In the context of EU negotiations on an energy and climate policy framework to 2030, Austria should develop a strategy that also integrates security of supply and internal market dimensions. Austria should also encourage…
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Austria's legislation on oil security
Introduction There are two laws which primarily govern the Austrian response to oil supply shortages in emergency situations: first, the more general 2012 Energy Intervention Powers Act (EIPA) and second, the more specific 2012 Oil Stockholding Act (OSA). The EIPA provides for a general legal framework aimed at the protection of Austria’s electricity supply. Beyond provisions governing energy supplied by solid and liquid energy products (Part II, articles 7-13 EIPA), it also includes provisions concerning electricity (Part III, articles 14-25 EIPA) and natural gas (Part IV, articles 26-35 EIPA) supply.The OSA implements the European Union…