Clean water thanks to hydropower
March 22nd is “World Water Day”. With 128 power plants all over Austria, VERBUND is making a noticeable contribution toward clean water.
In 2017, 23,000 tonnes of floating debris were collected at the VERBUND power plants, as the new Integrated Report from VERBUND AG details. In addition to a large share of wood in various sizes, the debris also included plastic and other waste products of civilisation. So the accumulated waste is retrieved and passed on to certified disposal companies for proper treatment.
Each power plant forms a barrier. What poses a disadvantage for fish, is an advantage for the river system as a whole: this is a convenient way to collect and dispose of waste in the water bodies. The amount collected varies widely. A determining factor is whether smaller flooding events flush the alluvial forests and tributaries. The flotsam inevitably lands in the main rivers, and in this way comes to the large VERBUND power plants on the Danube, Mur, Inn, Drava and Salzach.
For an energy future worth living in
The Integrated Annual Report underscores the high value placed on ecological measures. With fish ladders, renaturation and improved biodiversity in and along domestic rivers, VERBUND is proving that renewable electricity generation and environmental protection go hand in hand.
To the 2017 Integrated Annual Report: "Smart Power. Sustainable Solutions for the Energy Future"
