Austrian energy and climate policies

Energy efficiency act

The Energy Efficiency Act passed by the Austrian Parliament on 9 July 2014 requires utility companies to implement energy savings measures for end customers if they sell more than 25 GWh per year to this market segment. The legally defined level for these measures equals 0.6% of the previous year’s energy sales volumes. If this goal is not met a compensation payment of EUR 0.20 per kWh has to be paid, which goes to a fund to finance energy savings projects and the increased use of renewable energy sources. EVN has taken major steps in this area during recent years by introducing an extensive offering of energy services. The Energy Efficiency Act also requires large companies to install an energy management system or to carry out an energy audit every four years. The measures resulting from the audit will be used to define a framework for action, but there is no immediate legal requirement for its implementation.

Electricity labelling requirement

The amendment to the Electricity Management and Organisation Act (“Elektrizitätswirtschafts- und -organisationsgesetz”, ElWOG) that was published on 6 August 2013 requires the labelling of the electricity delivered to end customers (see § 79a EIWOG). Beginning on 1 April 2014, the operators of pump storage power plants are also obliged to provide proof of origin for the use of pump electricity, in accordance with the amendment of the energy labelling by-law of 2013.

The legally mandated labelling of electricity on the invoices of EVN Energievertrieb GmbH & Co KG was audited by KPMG Austria GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungs- und Steuerberatungsgesellschaft, Vienna. The environmental impact of the supply mix used by EVN Energievertrieb GmbH & Co KG in 2012/13 totalled 233.05 g/kWh of CO₂ emissions and 0 mg/kWh of radioactive waste.

• GRI indicator: Legally prescribed information on products and services (PR3)