Austrian wind energy association IG Windkraft has warned that, after the expansion of wind power gained momentum in 2023, there will be another setback in the expansion in 2024.
This was due to the slow response in Austria’s federal states to recent EU policies designed to speed up the uptake of onshore wind, the association said.
It said that the right framework conditions for rapid wind power development are still missing, resulting in a sharp decline in wind power expansion in 2024.
With 24 wind turbines with an output of 124MW, wind power expansion in 2024 will only be at the 2011 level, the association said.
Net this will only be 13 systems with 104MW, as old systems will also be renewed, it added.
Compared to last year, when 70 wind turbines with an output of 331MW were built, this is a drop in expansion of around two thirds.
However, at European level, the legal framework has changed significantly in recent months.
With the new Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) and the extension of the EU Emergency Regulation, Austria has been given enormous scope to significantly improve the framework conditions for the expansion of wind power.
Concrete interim expansion goals up to 2040 were set.
A wind energy area requirement law obliges the states to designate the necessary areas by 2032, and the onshore wind energy strategy gives municipalities additional leeway in the designation.
In addition, a uniform Federal Nature Conservation Act created uniform criteria in all federal states, thereby exploiting the scope of the EU Emergency Regulation.
The association is calling on the federal states to implement the EU obligation and immediately designate wind areas aligned with the goals.
In addition, the approval processes must be significantly accelerated and more staff must be hired in the approval authorities, it said.
Stefan Moidl, managing director of IG Windkraft, said: “Even the expansion in 2023 was still two thirds below the necessary expansion level.
“After we lost valuable years, we now need an annual expansion of 1000MW or around 150 systems.
“The current framework conditions are completely unsuitable for this.”