Austria regains status as electricity exporter due to renewable energy

Austria has regained its status as an electricity-exporting country for the first time since 2009, driven by its transition towards clean energy, with electricity exports reaching 4,747 gigawatt-hours last year.

Austrian Power Grid (APG), the national transmission system operator, attributed this achievement to the significant expansion of renewable energy systems, including photovoltaic, hydropower and wind energy, which enabled Austria to export electricity on 243 days of the past year.

Gerhard Christiner, Chief Executive Officer of APG, highlighted the increase in renewable electricity generation in Austria, stating, “The growing proximity to the upper limits of grid capacity necessitated a reduction in renewable energy production on multiple days last year.”

Official figures indicated a notable increase of 14.4 percent in Austria’s total electricity generation from renewable sources in 2024, bringing the country’s total clean energy production to 57,713 gigawatt-hours.

WAM