Austria's drive to expand its renewable energy infrastructure has gained substantial momentum, with the selection of projects totaling 2,060 MWp of solar capacity and 646 MWh of energy storage to receive investment subsidies from OeMAG, the agency responsible for distributing renewable energy subsidies in the country.
In its announcement on Friday, OeMAG revealed that it has concluded approximately 90,000 contracts for solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, with capacities of up to 1 MW, and approximately 31,000 contracts for battery storage as a result of the four funding calls conducted in 2023.
This year's results significantly outshine the figures from 2022, when OeMAG finalized roughly 66,000 contracts for 1,400 MW of solar capacity and 28,000 contracts for energy storage.
In addition to OeMAG's subsidies, the Energy and Climate Fund has also provided financial backing for solar and battery projects across Austria.
The four funding calls in 2023 were specifically aimed at solar projects with capacities of up to 1 MW, whether or not they included a battery component. The selected projects are slated to receive investment subsidies ranging from up to EUR 140 per kWp for installations with individual capacities of 100 kWp to 1,000 kWp, up to EUR 285 per kWp for systems of up to 10 kWp.
Austria's commitment to expanding its solar energy infrastructure in 2023 was supported by a record budget of EUR 600 million (USD 639.6 million). The government is also set to give an extra push to solar energy adoption by exempting private individuals from sales tax when purchasing PV modules up to 35 kWp, along with their associated accessories, storage, and installation. This new regulation is scheduled to be implemented in 2024 and 2025.
