Alternative Energies: New Law Should Facilitate Construction

The expansion and use of renewable energies in Vorarlberg should be made easier for energy suppliers, companies and households, as stated by State Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP), State Energy Councillor Daniel Zadra (Greens) and State Governor Barbara Schöppe Fink (ÖVP). Who is responsible for the legislation was explained on a radio station.

The new law aims to speed up procedures, reduce bureaucracy and facilitate the construction of clean power and heat plants. The public evaluation related to the subject began on Thursday, with the public invited to submit their comments.

Possibility of waiving RRP

It is also planned to shorten the construction time of important renewable energy plants. The state government will then designate so-called acceleration zones based on this law and will have the opportunity to identify areas for grid and storage infrastructure.

If a corresponding facility is to be built in one of the three types of areas, a lengthy nature impact assessment may be dispensed with under certain circumstances. This is intended to ensure faster procedures.

Families should benefit.

Households should benefit directly from the new regulations, the state government said. Solar and photovoltaic systems do not need to be approved under building regulations if they are installed directly on a roof or wall.

In the future, this exemption should also apply to balcony railings, terraces, etc. She added that the law would give the state government the opportunity to provide such an exemption for heat pumps under certain circumstances.

– Shorten decision-making times

In addition, short decision periods of three or one month will be applied in the future in the nature conservation process and in the construction process for some solar and photovoltaic systems as well as heat pumps. It is also planned that solar and photovoltaic systems with a capacity of up to 100 kilowatts will be considered automatically approved if the authority does not decide otherwise within a period of one month.

Energy independence goal

The country wants to use the law to promote energy independence. With energy independence, the country has set itself the goal of covering all its energy needs with renewable energy by 2050.