The energy-intelligent municipality
VERBUND presented energy-efficient complete solutions for the energy future at the municipal trade fair in Salzburg
Energy-efficient solutions from VERBUND, Austria's leading electricity company, offer municipalities holistic concepts for shaping the energy future both ecologically and economically. The spectrum ranges from e-mobility to photovoltaics and on to wastewater management.
Solutions for the energy future
Municipalities play a decisive role in the energy system, both as producers and as consumers and for storage. At the same time, many communities are facing great challenges. An increasing diversity of tasks must be mastered within framework conditions that are growing ever more complex. "Municipalities want to invest in the areas of energy conservation and energy efficiency. However, it is hard to come up with investment capital for this – here we offer contracting models. By doing so, we open up the possibility of funding investments through savings on energy costs, which subsequently leads to further energy savings", says Martin Wagner, Managing Director of VERBUND Solutions.
Energy contracting goes easy on the environment and the budget
Municipalities are confronted with many problems: a shortage of human and financial resources – along with the stipulation that projects have to pay for themselves within a short time. This is the point where VERBUND's offer ties in. The necessary services are performed entirely or in part by VERBUND as contractor. VERBUND optimises the energy flows and refinances its investment by means of savings potential that has not yet been exploited. After expiry of the contract, the investment normally becomes the property of the municipality, which then profits to the full extent from the savings.
The Lake Neusiedl west bank region is profiting
At the treatment plant of the Schützen municipality in Burgenland, for example, a modern agitator was installed which significantly increases the energy efficiency and has achieved energy savings of more than 50%. In addition, a fine-bubble aeration system was installed. This guarantees a significant lowering of the energy usage and eliminates the costs for yearly overhauls of the basins, as had previously been necessary. The original capital expenditure was recouped through the savings that followed. A win-win situation for the environment and the municipal budget.
Photovoltaics for more independence and lower costs
The principle of "everything from a single source", from planning to commencing operations and handling the financial/grant paperwork, convinced the municipality of Hausleiten in Lower Austria to start generating its own solar energy, and a lot of it. The first project started in early 2015 on the roof of the school. The positive experiences with this very quickly led to the realisation of another project on the roof of the waste collection centre. By now a total of 375 m2 of roof surface have installations.
The results are already impressive:
• 65,500 kWh production/year
• 1,000 euros annual savings on operational costs
• 42,650kg CO2 savings/year
Municipalities profit in multiple ways from this sunny overall solution which VERBUND offers in conjunction with its subsidiary SOLAVOLTA: more energy independence, lower energy costs, increased feed-in tariff, and going easy on local resources, because the complete solution from planning to financial/grant paperwork to commencing operations is all handled by SOLAVOLTA.
E-mobility in the eco-lane
The mobility requirements of municipalities differ. Whether a high-speed charging station is needed on the main square, park-and-ride spaces near the train station with several wall boxes, or a fleet of e-vehicles, VERBUND provides municipalities with all-round service. Along with its subsidiary SMATRICS, VERBUND is providing access to the densest e-loading network in Austria, and this for high-speed charging. More and more communities are banking on sustainable mobility and are improving the quality of life with significantly less traffic noise, lower exhaust emissions and a reduction of fine dust.
