What are energy communities?
Since 2021, the law has allowed citizens to exchange energy across property lines, but it’s only recently that citizens have become aware of these features and offerings. There are already a large number of energy communities in our region. These range from two people in an association to several hundred members in associations or cooperatives. While there are several types of energy communities, the “most common” ones focus on the area served by a substation (regional EEG). By participating in an EEG, all consumers can save on their share of grid costs, renewable energy subsidies, and the electricity surcharge on their annual electricity bill. This makes electricity prices of approximately 8–10 cents gross per kWh possible, after these statutory reductions are applied.
However, feeding electricity generated by solar or hydroelectric power into energy communities can also yield better prices than on the open market—typically around 8–10 cents/kWh. The goal of most energy communities is to keep energy prices stable, regardless of energy crises.
To participate in an energy community, you must have an active smart meter with 15-minute readings enabled by your grid operator (IME). If you do not yet have a smart meter, please contact your grid operator. In the Almenland Nature Park, for example, this Almenland Energienetze Steiermark GmbH.
Recommendation: You can also enable the 15-minute readings yourself via the customer portal; it’s best to set up your login credentials for portal.e-netze.at . Even if you don’t want to join an energy community just yet, it can be very useful to view your energy consumption and production for free using this feature to identify potential areas for improvement.
For more details, please visit the Austrian Coordination Office at energiegemeinschaften.gv.at
Energy Communities in the Almenland Nature Park
We would like to provide you with an initial overview of energy communities in our region, and we would be happy to list your energy community here as well. Please contact us at martin.auer (at) almenland.at
Weiz Nord Energy Cooperative
EG Der Sonner Näher Association
NEEOM Association “wseg St. Kathrein a. O. – Passailer Kessel”
"We Share Energy" Association
Oberes Feistritztal Energy Cooperative
smartCommunity
This is not a legally recognized energy community, but it is a potentially interesting electricity product for distributing surplus electricity throughout Austria:
Mag. Martin Auer
Climate and Energy Model Region Manager
Dorfplatz 1
8616 Gasen
T: +43 664 8514441
Email: martin.auer (at) almenland. at
