Aside from its direct business mission and in line with its regional responsibility, the Energie AG Group supports institutions and projects with economic relevance, charitable and non-profit organisations, activities such as humanitarian and social initiatives, and academic and education projects.
At our call centre, we also operate the Upper Austria crisis and disaster hotline in order to provide an information and communication platform to the public. In the event of an emergency, the emergency services dispatch a liaison to the call centre, who ensures that information is relayed to the public-safety answering point. As a result, the Energie AG Call Centre can always provide information with absolute professionalism.
Cultural and Social Issues
Energie AG supports a host of initiatives in the cultural and social realm. On the cultural scene, we have been partners of the Höhenrausch project in Linz, for which exhibitions are regularly held in Linz’s Power Tower. At the same time, the Energie AG Group supports young, talented artists with the Klemens Brosch Award and the “Dream Scholarship” project. In addition, we have been long-standing partners of many cultural initiatives throughout Upper Austria, including the Upper Austrian Regional Exhibition, Salzkammergut Festwochen summer festival, St. Florianer Sängerknaben boys’ choir and Brucknertage festival. As a partner of the Red Cross and volunteer fire brigade, the Energie AG Group makes a conscious effort to support rescue organisations with a high level of voluntary commitment.
Timelkam Energy Experience Centre
In the town of Timelkam, Energie AG runs an information centre about electrical energy called the Erlebniswelt Energie Timelkam (“Timelkam Energy Experience”). Around 4,800 visitors passed through the centre in the 2017/2018 fiscal year. The facility was modernised during the year under review, with new exhibits on the digital transformation and apprentices added. Workshops for schools and the “Start of School Festival” have been held at the centre or on its grounds for the last five years.
Sports
Following the motto “sport is energy”, the Energie AG Group has been supporting top athletes and amateurs alike across Upper Austria since 2000 – our “sports family”. 15 sportspeople became fully-fledged members of the sports family in the 2017/2018 fiscal year, receiving financial assistance, as well as important services to support their sports involvement (such as physiotherapy, equipment, help with advertising and media training). The main focus of these efforts is on promoting junior talent.
Education
Raising awareness of sustainability, energy and the environment has been a cause that the Energie AG Group has embraced in a major way, even dating back to earlier years. In this spirit, we have consistently supported initiatives by youth organisations. A conscious and careful relationship with nature and the environment is one of the worldwide scout movement’s eight educational focal points. For many years, Upper Austria’s scouts, the Pfadfinder, have been implementing targeted environmental projects with the support of the Energie AG Group and the State of Upper Austria (acting on the motto “taking responsibility for tomorrow!”)
Waterdrops Project
Energie AG supported Caritas’ Wassertropfen (“Waterdrops”) well-building project in the Congo for ten years. 262 wells have been newly installed or rehabilitated to ensure a safe water supply for around half a million people. With the project in Congo coming to an end in 2018, an Energie AG follow-up project has now been launched in the Czech Republic. Following the example of Upper Austria, this will promote the development of youth organisation YoungCaritas.cz in the city of České Budějovice to introduce young people to social commitment and responsibility. The concept, commitment and donation strategy remain the same: one heller (one hundredth of a koruna) for each cubic metre of drinking water delivered to Czech customers will go towards donations.
Energie AG at School
The “Energie AG macht Schule” education programme was expanded to include the topic of the digital transformation in the 2017/2018 fiscal year. In addition to the basics such as hardware and software, the opportunities and risks associated with the use of new technologies are also highlighted. The new class materials are available for primary school years 3 and 4 (ages 8-10), as well as for middle-school pupils in either of Austria’s state school models (ages 10-14).
Energy Institute at Johannes Kepler University Linz
Science and research have traditionally been accorded high value at Energie AG. One area in which this is evident is our long-standing partnership with the Energy Institute (Energieinstitut) at Johannes Kepler University in Linz. As a founding member, we actively participate in shaping and further improving the institute, as well as drawing on its high level of expertise in energy-related areas and its interdisciplinary team. Energie AG commissions studies from the institute on a consistent basis and works together closely with it on research projects. A good example of this is the LEAFS Project (Integration of Loads and Electric Storage Systems into Advanced Flexibility Schemes for LV Networks), which Netz OÖ helps to work on. For more information, see the Research, Development and Innovation section in the Management Report.
Federation, Association and Organisation Memberships
Energie AG is a member of various associations and representative groups related to its operational activities, both in Austria and abroad. In addition to the company assuming positions in various bodies in these federations, organisations and associations, Energie AG employees also perform tasks in committees and working groups. Employees who do not have active roles there can also benefit from these memberships through newsletters, online portals, webinars, participation in events, publications, studies, models, analyses, etc.
Energie AG is a member of Oesterreichs Energie (formerly VEÖ), a trade association representing the Austrian electricity industry.
We are also members of the Österreichische Energieagentur (AEA – Austrian Energy Agency GmbH), the national centre of excellence for energy. Energie AG considers the AEA a strong partner in terms of cooperation and services, which helps to create partnerships for its members with energy-related institutions in Central and Eastern Europe.
Our membership of the Verein für Ökologie und Umweltforschung (Association for Ecology and Environmental Research; VÖU) offers us a platform for an exchange of information on matters of common interest between the energy industry and applied ecological and economic research experts.
As an industry leader in Upper Austria, the Industriellenvereinigung (Federation of Austrian Industries; IV) and the Wirtschaftskammer (Austrian Economic Chambers; WK) are also important partners in many areas.
As a member of the Initiative Wirtschaftsstandort (“Upper Austria Business Hub Initiative”; IWS), Energie AG promotes Upper Austria as a business destination by providing basic research, studies, investigations and media work.
Energie AG Oberösterreich Trading GmbH (Trading GmbH) is an associate member of the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET). EFET is committed to an open and competitive energy market.
The Waste Management Segment is a member of the Verband Österreichischer Entsorgungsbetriebe (Association of Austrian Waste Management Enterprises; VOEB), an independent body representing commercial waste management organisations in Austria.
The Bundesverband der Energie und Wasserwirtschaft (Association of Energy and Water Industries; BDEW, formerly VDEW) pools the political interests of its member companies in Germany, which are more than 1,800 in number. Many of the topics that the BDEW deals with are also relevant and of interest to Austrian energy companies. It is for this reason that Energie AG is a member of the BDEW, with company representatives taking part in a wide range of association meetings and conferences.
The OÖ Energiesparverband (“Upper Austrian Energy-Saving Association”) is a body instituted by the State of Upper Austria that has been the central clearinghouse for product-independent energy information since 1991. Energie AG has been a member of the association since its founding and collaborates closely with it in areas including energy consultancy, promotional funding and local authorities.
Energie AG has been a member of the Energy Centre České Budějovice since 1998, an energy information centre supported by the State of Upper Austria and the Region of South Bohemia. Support for energy efficiency and the use of renewable energies are ECCB’s priority areas.
Since 2002, Energie AG has also been a member of the Fachgruppe Energie (Energy Working Group), which aims for cross-border cooperation in the energy sector between Upper Austria and South Bohemia. The working group supports cross-border projects and provides a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience.