As a pioneer in the field of sustainable energy supply and a reliable partner of the energy transition in Upper Austria, the Energie AG Group is committed to energy and climate policy targets. Working with its customers, employees and partners, the Group is also committed to an energy future that will ensure prosperity and growth in the regions served by the Company.
On the basis of its strategic goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2035 while continuing to guarantee reliable energy supplies and waste management, the Group is proactively advancing the energy transition.
The main aim of the “LOOP” strategy project is to decarbonise the Energie AG cycle – from generation and distribution to utilisation – in order to comply with legal and political provisions, uphold access to the financial market and meet the needs of various stakeholder groups.
To this end, concrete measures will be implemented from the 2023/2024 fiscal year onwards, taking account of the technical, legal and economic conditions. The massive expansion in systems for generating energy from renewable sources (sun, wind and water) in Upper Austria and other European countries as well as investments in innovative technologies are helping the national economy to phase out fossil energy.
Additional electricity generation from renewables until 2035
The 2030 targets for renewables expansion are largely affirmed by the “LOOP” project. By 2035, the goal is to expand renewable energy generation from the current level of approximately 2,750 GWh/a in an average year by some 1,200 GWh/a in total, see Environment, Generation plants. With this in mind, the regional focus has been extended to Germany, Italy and Slovenia.
The new strategic objective of supplying additional electricity from renewable energy sources – through new generation systems as well as the refurbishment or (replacement) construction of existing generation systems – will play a major part in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. In future, this will deliver savings of around 385,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2 eq) (reference value: Austrian Environment Agency (UBA), imported energy 2021), see also Environment, Emissions.
Transitioning to a green lifecycle
Alongside additional electricity generation from renewable energy sources, Energie AG continues to work towards energy and climate policy targets by promoting projects aimed at driving the transformation to a green lifecycle (for specific measures, see also Environment).
By using biomass, geothermal energy and industrial waste heat, the Energie AG Group has for many years pursued a consistent decarbonisation strategy in the area of sustainable heat supply and thus plays a pioneering role in its market sectors. In the area of heat pumps, the number is expected to increase to over 200,000 systems in Upper Austria. Energie AG has set itself the target of supporting roughly half of these through electricity supplies, on-site PPAs or financing by 2035. The maximum expansion of district heating will also be promoted wherever economically feasible.
Proper waste management and the recycling of resources complete the green lifecycle. In the interest of a sustainable waste management and circular economy, the operations of the Waste Management Segment will be optimised by maximising the utilisation of synergy effects, additional resource conservation and more efficient recycling processes, see Environment, Waste Management Segment.
Reliability in supply and waste management services
Even in times of crisis, Energie AG focuses on the reliable and uninterrupted delivery of all services when planning and realising projects. The same applies to projects of relevance to energy and climate policy.
Thanks to a solid foundation based on the highest technical and organisational standards, high security of supply was maintained in the 2022/2023 fiscal year despite the turbulence on the energy markets. The smooth operation of critical infrastructure (power plants, the electricity and gas grid, telecommunications, water supply and waste disposal) was always assured. In the area of energy procurement, the external electricity and gas volumes needed for customers as well as electricity and heat production are secured in advance through long-term transactions on stock exchanges and over-the-counter (OTC) markets. Due to short-term and long-term usage rights to gas storage facilities, fluctuations between supply and demand are balanced out beyond the legal storage requirements. These operational measures are strategically underpinned by the significantly accelerated expansion of renewable energy sources and thus greater self-sufficiency.
Netz OÖ GmbH secures the energy supply in Upper Austria with a modern and reliable electricity and gas grid and is the national pioneer in the by now completed roll-out of smart meter technology, making it the backbone of the supply infrastructure in Upper Austria.
In addition to a high-performance grid infrastructure, the security of supply also depends on a secure and flexible energy output. The combined cycle gas-turbine power plant in Timelkam (CCGT power plant Timelkam) plays an important role in congestion management here, and in grid reserve management for transmission system operators. Energie AG’s own gas storage rights (or gas storage contracts) and investments support the high degree of flexibility, see Social affairs, Security and quality of supply.
The development and application of new technologies and intelligent system solutions for the integration of volatile decentralised electricity generation systems (PV and wind) and flexible consumer systems (battery storage, e-mobility and heat storage) is of particular importance as well.
Pumped-storage power plant Ebensee
Energie AG is investing around EUR 450 million in building a pumped-storage power plant in Ebensee, Upper Austria. Construction is due to start in October 2023 and will take four years, with trial operation scheduled for late 2027. To compensate for the volatility of electricity generation from sun and wind as part of a renewable future, industrial-scale storage capacity and flexibility is required in the form of pumped-storage power plants. The planned power plant will have a storage capacity of 1.32 million m3 and output of 170 MW. This means the operating time to generate electricity will be 10 full-load hours. By responding to changes in demand and electricity generation with speed and flexibility, the planned power plant will deliver a major contribution to security of supply. For more information, see the Group Management Report, Energy Segment and the video on the website energieabergut.at concerning: Our new pumped-storage power plant at Ebensee.
The Waste Management Segment, Group Management Report guarantees solutions for hazardous and non-hazardous waste and recycling materials to the highest technological and ecological standards and, due to the two waste incineration plants in Wels and Lenzing, makes a significant contribution to waste management in Austria.
The Energie AG Group has succeeded in establishing itself as a reliable drinking water, waste water management, space heating and hot water supply company in the Czech Republic Segment, Group Management Report. The Group intends to deepen its partnerships with municipalities while simultaneously boosting efficiency and competitiveness by making targeted investments in its own water, waste water and heating infrastructure as well as making constant upgrades to the Group’s equipment and vehicle fleet.
Energie AG installs and operates a modern telecommunication infrastructure in Upper Austria and has been investing in the extension of future-proof fibre-optic technologies for around two decades. The Company's goal is to advance the digitalisation and increase the attractiveness of Upper Austria for businesses and residents alike. Since the 2021/2022 fiscal year, the fibre-optic rollout of the “Fibre-to-the-home” (FTTH) unit has been carried out by BBOÖ Breitband Oberösterreich GmbH (BBOÖ), a joint venture with the Province of Upper Austria. Since the local FTTH networks were spun off to BBOÖ, Telekom GmbH has also been supplying them with technical services and fibre-optic backbone data transports.
Energie AG: A reliable partner to customers
Energie AG Group stands for high-quality, reliable products and services, which it continuously and consistently adapts to the needs and preferences of existing and potential customers. The strategic direction of all Group units is guided by the need to deliver benefit and personal added value to customers. With forward-looking offers in such areas as heat pumps and on-site PPAs for PV, a significant expansion in digital customer services and a stronger commitment to e-mobility, the services of Energie AG are fully aligned to the needs of customers. In the field of e-mobility, Energie AG has set itself the target of providing as many as 50,000 charging stations for electric vehicles in private homes, at work, for vehicle fleets and in public areas by 2035.
In its business environment, Energie AG stands for fair and sustainable solutions that can be guaranteed through consistent process optimisations, see Social affairs, Customer orientation and satisfaction.
Customers strongly associate the Energie AG Group with security and regional focus. Energie AG Group aspires to meet these expectations by developing and investing in renewable energies and the establishment of a sustainable circular economy. Turning to social responsibility, Energie AG contributes to the common good by providing ongoing support in the areas of health, education, sport, arts and culture as well as charitable and not-for-profit activities, also see the section headed Social Affairs and the section headed Employees. Energie AG Group clearly showcases its solidarity by actively supporting customers affected by energy poverty.
Safeguarding the legitimate interests of its customers is a top priority for Energie AG. This means not only ensuring ethically sound dealings with customers but also protecting their personal data. Internal controls have been implemented to monitor compliance with the relevant regulations, see Compliance, Data protection.
Regional focus
As the energy supplier for Upper Austria, the Energie AG Group has positioned itself as a strong regional partner and an important economic factor for the state. A high degree of regional value creation is achieved by the focus on the local generation of energy (expansion of electricity generation systems), extensive investments in infrastructure projects in the sales territory, and the associated creation of jobs.
Digitalisation provides an important impetus for the region. The Energie AG Group advances the development of pioneering technologies and uses them to increase the quality of its customers' lives in their direct environment – e.g. by providing the means for a more efficient use of energy and extending the coverage of the fibre-optic network in Upper Austria.
Similar to Austria, the water and heat markets in the Czech Republic are distinguished by a very regional structure. All services provided by Energie AG in the Czech Republic are rendered by six regional and local water utility companies (previous year: seven), four heat utility companies (previous year: five) and one mixed water and heat utility company (previous year: one). Compared to the previous year, the number of subsidiaries has fallen due to mergers.
Financial stability
Energie AG's financial goal is to achieve attractive returns, to sustainably secure the value of the Energie AG Group and to continue to be a reliable and attractive business partner for owners and investors in the future. Financial stability is supported by the balanced Group portfolio of liberalised and regulated business models. A further basis for success is the efficient management of risks and opportunities. It empowers the Group management to identify challenges at an early stage and to take effective measures in good time.
The Group responds quickly to dynamic changes to the statutory framework, as well as market-based challenges stemming from changes in customer needs or competitors from outside the industry.
Workforce
The employees working at Energie AG are the Group's most important resource. Energie AG supports the development of the company through participation. The company achieves this on the basis of an open and respectful corporate culture that offers scope for innovation and fresh ideas while creating an environment in which employees can enjoy their work. Every individual should have the chance to reach their full potential and contribute different perspectives. Energie AG promotes gender equality and equality of opportunity for all employees so that everyone feels respected and included, see Employees, Promoting diversity.
Without motivated and committed employees, strategic goals are unachievable. When recruiting new talent, Energie AG focuses on strategically coordinated recruitment aimed at specific target groups and succession management within the Group. The aim is to appeal to individual groups of applicants according to need, placing a special emphasis on diversity.
The Group's successful apprenticeship programme trains the specialists needed by the Group's business sectors and includes measures in the area of diversity that send an important socio-political signal.