The Renewable Gas Act passed by the Austrian Council of Ministers initially set precise objectives for contributing to more supply security and energy independence in Austria. One of the key aspects of the act proposed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology was the increased share of renewable gases up to 7.5 TWh by 2030. The required majority in the Austrian National Council was not achieved in July 2024.

According to reports of Service Point Renewable Gases, clarity was reached. The proposed act will not be passed in its current form. It was initially set to be voted on in the latest caucus of the National Council. However, the government announced on September 17th that the negotiations had failed.

Polarizing Objectives

The recently failed act’s objectives polarized until the end. Industry sectors expressed apprehensions. The Austrian Industrials Association quantified the financial burden by more than 2.5 billion euros as the cause for the strict regulatory measures. Therefore, companies would have been obligated to bear those expenses in a large amount, which would have significantly impacted the economy.

On the other hand, members of the biogas-producing agriculture had placed significant hopes in the act’s successful implementation. The Styrian Farmers Federation emphasized important steps for Austria’s supply security and energy independence.

Source: September 19, 2024, www.greenvalue.de