a job
By 2030, all household electricity must be green. Photovoltaic systems and wind turbines already provide an increasing share of electricity. This is why more and more battery storage plants and pumped storage power plants are being built all over the world – also in Upper Austria.
If all goes according to plan, Mollen’s pumped-storage power plant could be commissioned in 2028. Contractor Kurt Bernegger is confident construction machinery will start rolling here next year. According to Bernegger, the preparatory work is well advanced: “If the whole green strategy is to be pursued in Europe, we need energy storage options. And we will need more storage space than we have now.”
Costs about 500 million euros
The costs for this are estimated at around 500 million euros. This investment cannot be made by the family business alone. The search for a partner is in full swing, according to Bernegger: “There are investors, for whom only legal certainty matters, that is, what the whole thing will look like in five years when it comes online. Politicians must define the terms of the framework so that such can also be presented project for the long term.
Electricity for about 8,000 families
If renewable energies such as photovoltaics or wind power produce too little electricity, a pumped storage power plant steps in. The water then flows from the upper tank through a turbine to generate electricity for about 8,000 homes. The storage capacity is 300 megawatts. If there is too much electricity, the power plant pumps the water back up until it is needed.
It is possible to build another pumped storage power plant in Ebensee
An hour’s drive away – in Ebensee – another pumping station could be built – with a capacity of about 170 megawatt-hours. State energy company Energie AG hopes to make a construction decision this year. Energie AG keeps a low profile on costs. They say it will be the largest investment in the company’s history.
