environment and climate
EVN and ECOwind are building a special solar power generation system in Grafenwörth (Tulln region). The photovoltaic system floats on water and is the largest of its kind in Central Europe.
Rooftop and outdoor photovoltaic systems are now a common sight. On the other hand, the floating system is rare. Exactly one of these is now being built in Grafenwörth. EVN and ECOwind of Caleb (Milk District) announced in a broadcast the so-called “floating PV” with an output of 24.5 megawatts (megawatt peak) that will in the future supply about 7,500 homes with green electricity.
Commissioning is planned for next spring. With this exceptional system, “previously unused water areas are being used in a new way,” says Johan Juncker, Managing Director of ECOwind.
Available space is limited
“Against the backdrop of only the limited space available, such systems are a very valuable addition to a classic rooftop or open area solar installation,” Juncker says. The new system makes an “important contribution to our PV expansion goals, and thus also to climate protection,” says Stefan Szykowitz, CEO of EVN. As part of the climate initiative, the energy supplier wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 60 percent by 2034.
“When it comes to climate protection, we want to take big steps forward. The system helps move one step closer to our goals in combating climate change,” says Governor Joanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP).
“We are ready for the future of renewable energy,” said Alfred Riedel, mayor of Gravenworth and president of the Austrian Association of Municipalities. The aim of this project is to set an example for other municipalities in terms of energy supply.
