APG: October was characterized by exceptionally high renewable production. 54% higher than in the previous year.

October (calendar weeks 40-44) was characterized by an excellent renewable production (6,047 GWh). This corresponds to an increase of 54 percent in renewable electricity generation compared to the reference period in the previous year. 

On balance, Austria was able to cover its domestic consumption (5,611GWh) in September with 100 percent renewable energies. The main reasons for this were the above-average amounts of rainfall which led to a strong production from run-of-river power plants. At 4,664 GWh (gigawatt hours), hydropower accounted for around 77 percent of renewables (a plus of 9% compared to October 2023), while wind energy accounted for around 13% (812 GWh). PV feed-in contributed 336 GWh and thus 6 percent to the total renewable production.

Growth in renewable energy production facilitates exports in October

Due to the good production from renewable energy sources, Austria achieved an electricity surplus, which meant that on balance Austria was able to export electricity on 29 days in October and achieved an export balance of 904 GWh (based on the import/export schedules), while in 2023 Austria did not export electricity on any day in October.

No energy transition without a strong electricity grid

A strong grid is necessary to make the volatile, renewable electricity available and to transport it to where it is needed. To avoid grid overloads and ensure a secure supply, the electricity flow is managed with so-called redispatch measures, i.e. the targeted and controlled use of specific power plants.

In October interventions in the schedule of power plants in Austria were necessary on 23 days to ensure the security of the electricity supply. This is 7 days more than the average of the previous nine months (16 days per month in 2024). These interventions cause costs that eventually have to be borne by the electricity customers. By the end of October, these costs amounted to approx. 79.7 million euros. 

A negative effect in addition to the costs and rising CO2 consumption is the "curtailment" of renewable power plant production: For example, wind power plants or run-of-river power plants that would be producing electricity at a certain time are shut down to avoid overloads in the electricity grid. Since the beginning of the year, an average of around 5,350 MWh of electricity per month has been "lost" due to these measures (the corresponding figure for October was around 6,044 MWh of electricity; the total from January to October was around 53,496 MWh).

 “The targeted use of thermal and hydraulic power plants, as well as the curtailment of renewables to prevent grid overloads underline how urgent it is to expand our power grid. These measures have to be considered as both a warning signal and a wake-up call. A high-capacity and reliable electricity grid is indispensable for achieving the energy transition without jeopardizing the security of supply, as well as for achieving the industry’s goals, and mitigating negative economic effects”, emphasizes Christoph Schuh, APG’s company spokesperson.

A high-capacity electricity infrastructure, storage facilities, and digital intelligence within the electricity system are necessary to fully capitalize on the planned growth rates of renewables in the coming years. APG's EUR 9 billion investment scheme up to 2034 and its timely implementation is therefore key for achieving the energy transition without jeopardizing the security of supply. “This requires favorable general circumstances including an appropriate overall system planning, the simplification and acceleration of approval procedures, and an Austria-wide coordination of the transformation process towards a sustainable and affordable energy system,” adds Christoph Schuh.

Energy exchange within Austria               

The trans-regional electricity grid of APG facilitates the exchange of energy within the country. Electricity surpluses in individual provinces can thus be distributed throughout Austria to compensate for deficits. 

Due to good hydropower production, Carinthia (411 GWh) generated the highest energy surplus in October and made it available throughout Austria via the APG grid. Lower Austria (378 GWh) generated the second-highest surplus due to its good hydropower and wind power production. At 304 GWh, Vienna had to draw the most electricity from the grid alongside Vorarlberg (134 GWh).

Responsible energy consumption

The available data show that 5,611 GWh of electricity were consumed from the public grid in Austria in October (calendar weeks 40-44) - around four percent more than in October 2023 (5,390 GWh). However, this figure does not reflect the absolute electricity consumption in Austria, as it does not include electricity produced and consumed by owners of private PV units.

It is important to act responsibly when it comes to electricity consumption. Saving electricity reduces CO₂ and overall systemic costs, which are significant contributions to increasing system security. The trend of reducing CO₂ has to be pushed further. This also includes electricity from private PV units.

Tips for saving electricity can be found at www.apg.at/stromspartipps. With the APG Powermonitor, the Austrian population can see the most effective electricity-saving hours and thus make an active contribution to CO₂ reduction and system security. The APG Powermonitor can be found at: www.apg.at/powermonitor.

APG continually keeps track of the development of the domestic electricity industry and regularly publishes diagrams at https://www.apg.at/infografiken regarding the topics: energy exchange, energy consumption in Austria, renewables production, import/export, electricity prices, etc. 

Click here for the current infographics

About Austrian Power Grid (APG)

As independent transmission system operator Austrian Power Grid (APG) is in charge of ensuring the security of the electricity supply in Austria. With our high-performance and digital electricity infrastructure and the use of state-of-the-art technologies we integrate renewable energies, we are the platform for the electricity market, and we provide access to reasonably priced electricity for Austria’s consumers and thus create the basis for Austria as supply-secure and future-oriented industrial and business location and place to live. The APG grid totals a length of about 3,400 km and is operated, maintained, and continuously adapted to the increasing challenges of the electrification of businesses, industry, and society by a team of approximately 900 specialists. 67 substations are distributed all over Austria and the majority is operated remotely from APG’s control center in Vienna’s 10^th district. Thanks to our committed employees Austria had a security of supply of 99.99 percent also in 2023 and thus ranks among the top countries worldwide. Our investments of 445 million euros in 2024 (2023: 490 million euros, 2022: 370 million euros) are a motor for the Austrian economy and a crucial factor in reaching Austria’s climate and energy targets. Until 2034 APG will invest a total of approximately 9 billion euros in grid expansion and renovation projects.