Upcoming Trade Shows in Austria for Energy

Austria has long been at the forefront of renewable energy adoption, and recent trends in the energy industry underscore the nation’s continued leadership and ambition. By the end of 2016, Austria had already surpassed its EU Renewables Directive goal for 2020, putting its energy industry front and centre on the European stage. For that year, renewable energies accounted for 33.5% of final energy consumption across all sectors. This includes heat, electricity, and mobility. This early achievement highlights Austria's proactive approach to energy transition, which not only supported environmental goals but also created significant economic benefits as it hosted 41,591 jobs and generated €7.219 billion in revenue in 2016. Fast forward to 2023, and Austria's energy industry has strengthened its leadership position within the renewable energy sector. Roughly 87% of the country’s electricity generation now comes from renewable sources, making it the second-highest in the European Union. This progress reflects the ambitious targets set by the Austrian government in 2017: achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and complete decarbonization of the energy system by 2050. The road to these targets, however, is not as straightforward. In order to keep the momentum of its early success going, the country needs to do comprehensive planning and investment. According to the Austrian Energy Agency (AEA), to meet the 2030 goal, Austria must increase its annual generation of electricity from renewable sources by up to 35 terawatt hours. Given the limitations on further expanding hydropower, this additional capacity will largely need to come from wind power and photovoltaic systems. This shift necessitates not only the development of new generation capacities but also a parallel expansion of electricity grids and storage capabilities. Austria’s efforts are supported by a robust regulatory framework and a clear vision for the future. The Austrian energy plan formulated in 2020 outlines several key targets, a big one being phasing out oil and coal heating systems by 2035.