Solar energy – a significant economic factor

Austria is the fourth-largest user of thermal solar energy worldwide after Cyprus, Israel and Greece — measured as the installed capacity per inhabitant.

Austria’s leading position can be seen, however, not only in the installation of solar plants, but also in the leading role which Austria’s solar industry has achieved during the last ten years; as a technological leader and also in the export of components and plants.

65% of the solar collectors manufactured in Austria in 2004 were exported. This means that the market share of Austrian solar collectors among solar plants installed in Europe was 28% in that year.

The turnover of 182 million Euros in 2003 and the provision of a total of 3,600 full-time jobs in the production and sales of solar plants show that the solar industry has moved from being a niche industry to a significant economic factor.

In 2003, the use of solar plants meant a saving of 900 GWh of conventional energy. The cost savings for the users of these plants were 58 million Euros in 2003.

Furthermore were the development chances of the Austrian solar industry in the domestic, European and world markets up to 2010 based on three scenarios investigated in this study. Depending on the scenario, between 3,900 and 16,800 jobs could be created/secured up to 2010.

The total turnover of the sector could be increased to 177 million or one billion Euros, depending on the conditions and scenario, if the market chances worldwide are taken advantage of.

The use of solar plants could in 2010 lead to a saving of between 1,200 and almost 1,600 GWh from conventional sources, depending on the scenario. Based on the current energy provision in Austria, approx 60% of the energy substituted would be from fossil-fuel sources. The energy cost savings for the users of the solar plants are between 90 and 116 million Euros.