Austria offers €17.9 million to fund storage

Austria’s Climate and Energy Fund has launched a €17.9 million tender program for medium-sized electricity storage systems with net capacities of between 51 kWh and 1 MWh.

The funding is intended for new construction and expansion of existing battery storage systems. The program is offering €150/kWh of storage capacity and includes a sustainability surcharge if the storage facility is predominantly powered by electricity from renewable energy systems. A surcharge of €10/kWh is also planned if the storage facility is installed in regions with a particular focus on climate protection. Funding for the environmentally relevant investment costs are capped at 30%.

Who can benefit from the program

The program aims to use good practice examples to encourage other investors to implement similar products. The expansion of medium-sized storage facilities is important in order to balance out fluctuations in electricity generation from photovoltaics and wind power. The storage facilities should therefore be able to be operated in a way that is beneficial to the grid. Funding is available to residents, production, commercial and service companies, energy supply companies, public institutions, contractors and communities, according to the Climate and Energy Fund.

The funding program is financed by the Austrian climate action ministry, which earmarked €10 million for the program. The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) is providing an additional €7.9 million. Applications can only be submitted online. The call for proposals runs until the end of February 2025, provided funds are still available by then. Otherwise, it will end when the funding is exhausted. The storage facilities must be completed no later than 24 months after the funding is approved.

From pv magazine Germany