Strategy

E1-1 – Transition plan for climate change mitigation

Building on the Group strategy outlined in section SBM-1 – Strategy, business model and value chain, Energie AG aims to decarbonise its greenhouse gas emissions with the objective of achieving net zero emissions before 2050, while continuing to ensure a reliable supply of energy and waste management services. The transition plan is intended not only to meet political objectives but also to actively support the transformation of the energy system, protect habitats as effectively as possible, secure favourable financing conditions, capture business opportunities and address the requirements of key stakeholder groups. A detailed transition plan for climate change mitigation is currently being developed as part of the Group-wide decarbonisation project. In the 2024/25 fiscal year, the greenhouse gas inventory was expanded to include Scope 3 emissions, and a representative base year was established. Relevant emitters were analysed, and potential measures to support decarbonisation were examined.

Based on the information available from the project, preliminary reduction targets have already been defined for all three emission scopes; see section E1-4 - Targets on climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation. The 2021/22 fiscal year was selected as the base year for determining the decarbonisation targets, as it reflects the most representative emission values for business activities, taking into account external factors such as market prices, which are critical for the operation of fossil fuel-fired CCGT power plants. In subsequent years, exceptional market and framework conditions – in particular the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and the weak economic environment – resulted in atypical utilisation and emission levels, limiting comparability with the long-term average.

The planned measures are currently being examined and analysed through scenario modelling to assess their feasibility and potential impact. Finalisation of the full transition plan is scheduled for the 2025/26 fiscal year. Initial analyses were carried out on the decarbonisation of the largest emitters in Scope 1 and Scope 3, in particular large centralised facilities such as the waste incineration plant in Wels, and on potential decarbonisation options including carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). These are to be implemented in concrete measures and medium-term savings targets in the 2026/27 fiscal year. However, due to their significance, more detailed analysis of the respective measures is required.