EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 18.11.2015
SWD(2015) 208 final
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT
Country Factsheet Austria
Accompanying the document
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS AND THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK
State of the Energy Union
{COM(2015) 572}
{SWD(2015) 209}
{SWD(2015) 217 à 243}
Towards an Energy Union
Austria
Macroeconomic relevance of energy
|
IMPORTANCE OF THE ENERGY SECTOR
The macroeconomic significance of the energy sector in the Austrian economy has somewhat decreased since 2005 with a share in gross value added below the EU average in 2012. The share of employment in the energy sector has also decreased, while remaining well above the EU average.
|
Source: EUROSTAT – National Accounts
|
According to EurObserv'ER, in 2013, the share of direct and indirect renewable energy related employment in total employment of the economy in Austria was at about 0.97%, above the EU average of 0.53%, underlining the high importance of renewable energy for job creation in the country.
Source: European Commission, based on EurObserv'ER and EUROSTAT
TRADE BALANCE OF ENERGY PRODUCTS
Austria is a net importer of all energy sources and its overall energy trade deficit is larger than that of the EU28. Oil is the largest component of the trade deficit. The total energy trade deficit has decreased between 2006 and 2014 from 3.4% of GDP to 2.9%. Despite the energy trade deficit, the country has however managed to run a persistent – yet decreasing - current account surplus over these years.
|
Source: EUROSTAT)
|
1. Energy Security, solidarity and trust
|
ENERGY MIX
The energy mix of Austria differs from the one of the EU-28, with the notable difference of a much higher share of renewables, lower share of solid fuels and the absence of nuclear. Compared to 1995, the share of solid fuels and petroleum and products decreased (from 13% to 10% and from 42 to 37% of the gross inland energy consumption respectively), while the share of renewable energy increased by 8 percentage points to 30%. The share of gases decreased from 24 to 21% of the energy mix.
|
Gross inland energy consumption in 2013
Source: European Commission, based on EUROSTAT
|
IMPORT DEPENDENCY
Austria has an import dependency above the EU average for fossil fuels as well as higher dependencies on gas and petroleum and products. Austria imports at least 62% of its gas from Russia. This also translates in a high supplier concentration index. Austria benefits from large underground gas storage facilities with a capacity above the average annual domestic consumption. The high share of renewable energy in the energy mix (80% renewable energy share in gross electricity generation) and energy efficiency improvements contribute to limiting import dependency. Austria experiences an above EU-average energy trade deficit (expressed as % of GDP).
|
Source: European Commission, based on EUROSTAT
|
2. A fully-integrated internal energy market
|
INTERCONNECTIONS
|
Source: European Commission based on ENTSO-E scenario outlook and adequacy forecast 2014
Note: Reference to 2030 target is based on October 2014 European Council conclusions stating that "the Commission will also report regularly to the European Council with the objective of arriving at a 15% target by 2030"
|
The interconnection level for electricity was of 29% in 2014 for Austria, which is above the 2020 and 2030 targets. The implementation of Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) until 2020 will further increase this level. It needs to be taken into account that de facto the interconnection level of Austria is higher as it forms one common price zone with Germany. The common price zone with Germany is an example for regional integration and offers high liquidity on the spot and futures markets. However, the Austrian electricity grid faces growing challenges due to high and increasing production of electricity from solar and wind. The central location of the country also poses further challenges as regards the efficient accommodation of the North-South electricity flows. Therefore the focus of the PCIs is mostly on the reinforcement of the internal lines, additional high-voltage lines to Germany, Italy and Switzerland and expansion of electricity storage capacities
|
In gas, remaining potential bottlenecks at certain entry-exit points, the existing mismatch of capacities and the non-coordinated development of capacities between Germany and Austria are being tackled. PCIs in gas are addressing better market integration as well as enabling reverse flows. Austria is also a significant transit country for gas as it is well-located along gas routes from Russia to Italy and Southern Germany. Its transit capacities help to secure the energy supply of its neighbours.
In total, Austria has 22 PCIs including 12 PCI in electricity (of which 4 are storage projects), 9 in gas and 1 in oil.
|
ELECTRICITY AND GAS MARKETS
|
Market concentration index for power generation (left, 2014) and gas (right, 2013). (Herfindahl index – a 10000 value corresponds to a monopoly)
Sources: European Commission based on ESTAT, CEER and Platts Power Vision
|
Sources:ESTAT and European Commission Calculations
|
The concentration of the power generation market is below EU average while the market concentration in gas is above. On the retail level market concentration is high with three main suppliers holding 56% of the market in the electricity and 72% in the gas sector. However the liquidity at the Austrian virtual gas trading point and on the wholesale gas market in general is developing well
. Wholesale electricity and gas prices are slightly below while retail prices for households are slightly above EU average, mostly because of high levies and taxes. Being dependent on gas imports, it is essential for Austria to have cross-border transport capacity available to gas traders.
The switching rates for electricity and gas consumers are below the EU average. New rules, introduced in 2013, have probably contributed to an increase in the number of consumers who subsequently switched gas and electricity supplier. According to a European survey consumer satisfaction in Austria is high for the electricity but only average for the gas sector.
Austria has a plan to roll-out smart gas and electricity meters with all required functionalities.
In order to respond to citizens’ concerns about the import of electricity from nuclear and fossil fuels based power plants from other Member States and to enhance the information available to consumers, Austria imposes an obligation of proof of origin for 100% of the energy supply. Possible impacts on cross-border electricity trade with other Member States will need to be monitored, as not all Member States have certificates of origin in place.
|
VULNERABLE CONSUMERS
|
Source: European Commission, based on on EUROSTAT SILC survey
|
Based on a EUROSTAT survey on income and living conditions, three proxy indicators are used to assess fuel poverty issues. They indicate that while relevant, the problem is less stringent in Austria than in many other EU countries. There are exemptions from levies for consumers with low income and other measures to protect vulnerable consumers, as well as implicit references to vulnerable consumers in social protection legislation. At the same time, there is no explicit definition of the concept of vulnerable consumers, i.e. a specific consumer group which is deemed vulnerable based on the energy legislation.
|
3. Energy Efficiency and moderation of energy demand
|
ENERGY EFFICIENCY TARGET 2020
(31.5 Mtoe primary energy and 25.1 Mtoe final energy)
|
Source: European Commission, based on EUROSTAT and on national energy efficiency targets as declared by the MS under the Energy Efficiency Directive
|
|
ENERGY INTENSITY
Primary energy intensity in Austria is well below the EU average and has decreased from 2005, although at a slightly slower pace than EU average. Energy intensity in the industrial sector is rather stable, and above EU average linked to a comparatively high share of energy intensive industry in Austria.
|
Primary energy intensity of the economy (primary energy consumption/GDP)
Source: European Commission based on EUROSTAT and European Commission/AMECO
|
Final energy intensity in industry (final energy consumption/value added)
Source: European Commission based on EUROSTAT and European Commission/AMECO
|
Austria has delivered the long-term strategy for mobilising investment beyond 2020 in the renovation of the national building stock. The specific energy intensity of passengers cars increased slightly (0.2%) between 2005 and 2010 which reflects a less efficient usage of cars (i.e. higher stock, maybe more efficient but fewer passengers per car). The specific energy intensity for freight transport slightly decreased (-0.92%) over the same period, and remains above EU average.
|
Final energy consumption per m2 in residential sector, climate corrected
Source: European Commission based on Odyssee database
|
Specific energy intensity for passenger cars and freight transport
Source: PRIMES model background data and estimations based on EU Commission and EU MS inputs
|
|
|
EU legislation sets mandatory CO2 emission reduction targets for new cars and vans. By 2021, the fleet average to be achieved by all new cars is 95 grams of CO2 per kilometre. For new vans, the fleet average is set at 147 g/km by 2020.
|
Source: European Environmental Agency. 2014 values are provisional. 2013 EU average refers to EU-27.
The Austrian Transport Master Plan underlines the importance of EU targets for CO2 reduction and defines concrete measures for reaching the goals. A backbone of a resource efficient transport system in Austria is modernising rail infrastructure and services aiming for an integrated time table for Austria.
Regarding transport performance, in EU28 the inland freight modal shares are 72% by road, 17% by rail, 6% by inland waterways and 5% by pipelines. The respective inland passenger modal shares are 82% by private car, 9% by buses and coaches, 7% by railways and 2% by tram and metro. Austria reports a higher use of rail freight and passenger transport than the European average. It is among the countries with the highest share of rail transport: concerning passenger transport Austria shows the highest number of passenger-km on rail per capita in the EU28.
Modal shares Austria
Source: Eurostat and EU transport in figures 2015. Data refers to 2013. Modal shares based on tonne-kilometres for freight sector and passenger-kilometres for passenger sector, freight data based on activity within country territory. Estimates are made when data is missing.
|
|