Austria has set ambitious goals in the area of energy and climate protection. In order to use the limited public funds even more effectively in the future, the funding landscape on behalf of Federal Minister Norbert Tettschnig and State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner was analyzed with regard to their efficiency. The investigation was carried out by the Swiss Institute forecast. The results of the analysis are now available and show that the funding instruments generally achieve the desired effects, but mostly exists high savings and demarcation potential. This should now be taken into account when adjusting the funding.
As part of the analysis of the efficiency of climate and energy funding, the central conveyor blocks of Austrian climate and energy policy have been examined. These include the renovation offensive, the energy efficiency promotion, grants under the Renewable Expansion Act, the electricity costs compensation law or the climate and energy funds. The measures were analyzed with regard to their funding mechanisms, goals and target groups.
The study shows that while the funding instruments basically aim in the right direction, there is also a need for optimization, especially with regard to effectiveness and efficiency. Specifically, clearer goal definitions and the delimitation of the areas of responsibility are recommended to avoid duplicationhoods and higher efficiency in the use of funding. In the future, this should be more important in the future in the design of the respective instruments of the climate and energy fund, to promoting energy efficiency, EAG to environmental promotion in Germany and the new orientation of grants such as the boiler exchange.
Environmental and climate minister Norbert Tettschnig: “The results show that the funding from the past was sometimes too high and not very efficient. In the environmental and climate area, we will therefore increase in several places and use the tax money much more efficiently than before. While we have already deleted the climate bonus, which had no positive effect on the climate at all, we will increase the efficiency with less tax money during funding such as thermal renovation and heating boiler. Intelligent use is often the same effect.
StS Zehetner: “We attribute our grants to what they are intended for: as targeted incentives that trigger investments, keep investments in the country and advance the energy transition. Funding must not fizzle out or take -use effects, but have to work where the market alone is not enough. Therefore, we are aiming for the funding areas, align with European specifications and ensure that every euro saves more CO Jobs in Austria are clear: In the future, we will be able to plan households and businesses with less bureaucracy and stable framework.
Funding is set or more efficiently designed
An essential recommendation of the study is to check existing funding areas for their topicality. This has already been fulfilled. Funding for certain cooling and freezing devices are set, since many measures are already mandatory due to legal rules. In addition, it has already been decided to set special rails with too low demand, such as those for internal energy centers. The funding offers for conversion to LED systems are also set, since these technologies are now standard and no longer need funding incentives.
Refurbishment offensive is being reorganized
The analysis also shows that the funding was too high in some areas. Funding budgets are to be reduced there and the high emission goals are to be achieved. The greatest efficiency potential is seen in the renovation offensive, which consists of the two areas of thermal renovation (e.g. facade insulation and window exchange) and boiler exchange. In its current design, the renovation offensive in efficiency-i.e. CO2 savings per funding EURO used-cuts off the worst due to the currently high funding rates in this area (up to 75 percent) compared to other analyzed funding instruments.
After the funding budget has already been reduced, the BMLUK is currently in contact with federal states and stakeholders to discuss the new funding criteria. Of course, the recommendations of the study are also used to reduce the intensity of funding. In any case, the new funding will be reduced and thus the efficiency of the subsidies is improved because high demand is still to be expected.
Edition of a new energy efficiency program on the basis of the Energy Efficiency Act (EeffG)
In the area of promoting efficiency, focus will be more focused on and a new energy efficiency program will be launched. So far, the priorities have been very wide and strongly targeted, with a total of eleven program lines from sports facilities to hospitals. In the future, the focus is on thermal renovation in cooperative residential construction, on the renovation of the 26 percent worst non-residential buildings such as schools, kindergartens or municipal facilities as well as on larger company efficiency measures that are given competition. This increases the CO₂ savings, the funds are given cost-effective and at the same time strengthens the domestic construction and craft industry.
Renewable expansion law (EAG) is amended
The EAG remains the heart of the Austrian ecostrom expansion, but will be designed slimmer and more precisely in the future. With the 10 amendment by the end of 2025, operating funding towards Contracts for Difference is to be further developed and the competition for funding efficiency is strengthened. In the case of negative prices, a time -consuming exposure of grants is planned. PV storage promotion is targeted to achieve more network integration. Additional PV grants in the climate and energy funds are eliminated, PV grants can still be promoted on the basis of the EAG.
Green technologies: strengths of the offer and demand side with funding instruments
A clear focus in the future is to be placed on green growth by green technologies. The focus is on the technologies biomass, heat pump, geothermal energy and efficiency through heat recovery. The market launch of climate -friendly technologies should be supported in a targeted manner. On the one hand, a suitable mix of measures on the offer side is necessary, with which technologies are advanced. This focus will be reflected in the annual program of the climate and energy fund. On the other hand, there should also be a well -thought -out funding offer when demanding to establish climate -friendly technologies on the market. Structures of the climate and energy fund will also support, which include accompanying measures to form consciousness. The climate and energy model regions (KEM) and the climate change adaptation model regions (clearly) will take on a leading role, which bring both the offer and demand side together and to drive specific climate-relevant projects in the regions.