Austrian chemical energy storage power station

In 2020, Austria had a hystorically grown inventory of hydraulic storage power plants with a gross maximum capacity of 8.8 GW and gross electricity generation of 14.7 TWh. This storage capacity has already played a central role in the past in optimising power plant deployment and grid regulation.

A study 1 carried out by the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, AEE INTEC, BEST and ENFOS presents the market development of energy storage technologies in Austria for the first time.

Of these, approx. 94% were built with public funding and 6% without. The total inventory of photovoltaic battery storage systems in Austria therefore rose to 11,908 storage systems with a cumulative usable storage capacity of approx. 121 MWh.

A total of 840 tank water storage systems in primary and secondary networks with a total storage volume of 191,150 m³ were surveyed in Austria. The five largest individual tank water storage systems have volumes of 50,000 m³ (Theiss), 34,500 m³ (Linz), 30,000 m³ (Salzburg), 20,000 m³ (Timelkam) and twice 5,500 m³ (Vienna).

At the beginning of the year, Voith Hydro secured two major orders for pumped storage plants in Austria and Israel. Orders highlight importance of pumped storage technology, as to date it is the only long-term, technically proven form of storing energy on a large scale and making it available at short notice.

Did you know? • Pumped Storage Power Plants (PSPP), the world's 'water battery', accounts for over 94 per cent of installed global energy storage capacity and retains several advantages such as lifetime cost, levels of sustainability and scale.