The goal of covering domestic electricity production 100 per cent with renewables by 2040 is drawing closer. In 2023, renewable energies already contributed 87.6 per cent to total domestic energy generation, says the Ministry of Energy, pointing to a record increase in electricity production from photovoltaics. However, looking at overall energy consumption, still well over half of the energy consumed in Austria comes from oil, natural gas and coal.

While the share of hydropower tends to be declining, that of biomass is rising, as the ministry points out in the annual statistics report "Energy in Austria – Facts and Figures". According to the report, 11 per cent of Austria's energy consumption in the previous year was met by hydropower. 2.2 per cent came from wind power, 1.6 per cent from photovoltaics, 2.4 per cent from ambient heat and 2.1 per cent from combustible waste – together roughly as much as coal at 7.7 per cent. Oil (35.7 per cent) and natural gas (18.5 per cent) still account for the lion's share.

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Also check out the podcast by the Climate and Energy Fund: "Energy Communities"

Imagine the company you work for has a photovoltaic system on its roof and supplies you with electricity from those solar panels at the weekend, right to your flat. Or you and your neighbours set up an association where you share self-generated electricity on your own terms. That's been possible for three years now. The magic word here is "the energy community". Angela Holzmann from the Austrian Energy Agency helps us understand how this idea has been put into practice, and Bente Knoll from the Office for Sustainable Competence introduces us to a project that aims to make our relationship with energy more solidary!