Wien Energie aims at renewable capacity of 2.8 GW by 2040
- Özcan Berk Atakan
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
Wien Energie, Austria’s largest regional energy utility, has outlined a long-term strategy to significantly expand its renewable electricity portfolio, aiming to reach 2.8 GW of installed renewable capacity by 2040. The plan represents a major pillar of Vienna’s broader decarbonisation and climate-neutrality ambitions.
Wien Energie currently operates around 900 MW of renewable generation, spanning solar PV, onshore wind, and hydropower assets across Austria. While this already places the utility among the country’s leading clean-energy operators, the 2040 target implies more than a threefold expansion over the coming 15 years.
The company has also defined clear interim milestones:
1 GW by 2026, driven largely by accelerated solar and wind deployment
1.8 GW by 2030, sufficient to cover the majority of Vienna’s household electricity demand
These steps are designed to ensure capacity growth remains aligned with grid readiness and demand evolution.
The 2.8 GW ambition goes beyond residential electricity supply. Wien Energie explicitly links its expansion to the electrification of urban systems, including:
Public transport networks (trams, metro systems, and electric buses)
EV charging infrastructure
Commercial and municipal electricity demand
As cities electrify heating and mobility, utilities increasingly function not just as power suppliers, but as system integrators balancing generation, grids, and flexibility.
While Wien Energie has not published a rigid technology split for 2040, current investments suggest:
Solar PV as the fastest-growing segment, particularly rooftop and near-urban installations
Onshore wind as a core contributor to bulk renewable generation
Hydropower continuing its role as a stable, dispatchable renewable base
The utility’s acquisition and integration of renewable project developers further signals a strategy focused on long-term asset ownership and operational control, rather than short-term power procurement.
Wien Energie’s roadmap reflects a broader European trend: municipal and regional utilities are becoming key drivers of the energy transition, translating national climate targets into tangible infrastructure. A 2.8 GW renewable portfolio positions Vienna not only as a consumer of green power, but as a reference city for urban energy transformation.
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