Upper Austria is one of Austria’s nine regions with a population of 1.4 million inhabitants. The highly industrialised region accounts for 25% of national exports.

Since the mid-90s, Upper Austria has prioritised energy effi ciency and renewable energy. Renewable energy currently supplies more than 34% of the total primary energy demand (15% biomass, 15% hydro power, 4% solar and other renewable energy sources).

The impressive share of renewables was achieved through comprehensive regional energy action plans. For 2030, Upper Austria has set the target to meet 100% of its electricity and space heat demand by renewable energy sources.

Renewable energy sources in Upper Austria

• share of renewable energy sources: 34% of total primary energy demand
• share of renewable heating: 45.6% of total heating demand
• share of renewable electricity: 77%
• investment in new installations: 210 million Euro/year
• avoided CO₂ emissions: 7.4 million tons/year
• avoided imports of fossil fuels: 1 billion Euro/year
  
  
• leading solar region (0.7 m² of collector surface per inhabitant; more than 1 million m²); the target for 2030 is 3 million m² solar thermal collectors
• 27% of all modern biomass boilers installed in the European Union are manufactured in Upper Austria;biomass heating industry employs more than 4,500