Austria Shifts Photovoltaic Subsidies from Small Installations to Storage and Special Categories

Funding Continues for Special Categories

Funding is expressly being continued for building-integrated photovoltaics, for installations on agricultural land (agri-PV), for coverings over parking lots, for floating PV installations on water surfaces, and for installations along noise barriers. These categories are considered particularly land-efficient or capable of multiple use.

The background is the observation that the EAG investment subsidy has been heavily claimed in recent years by small rooftop installations. By concentrating on storage and special categories, the selection of funding is to be more closely aligned with grid utility and land efficiency.

At the same time, the funding system is being coordinated more closely with E-Control. The regulatory authority provides data on price peaks and on PV peaks in the grid and can thus give indications of where additional storage capacity delivers the greatest benefit.

Role of E-Control

The craftsman bonus (Handwerkerbonus) also remains part of the funding toolkit and is intended to continue facilitating the implementation of installations – particularly in the private and small commercial sector. This provides homeowners with an additional incentive to implement storage solutions on their own.

It remains to be seen how the realignment will affect the PV funding call. Industry representatives expect the number of subsidised small installations to fall, while investments in larger storage and special installations increase. The next tender will show to what extent storage projects are admitted.

Outlook on the Next PV Funding Call

What is already certain is that the energy transition in Austria is to be steered in future more strongly through storage than through additional generation capacity from small rooftop installations. The goal is a more stable grid with a higher share of renewable generation.

The amendment is part of a broader strategy by the ÖVP to deploy funding more selectively. In the coming months, further details on subsidy levels, application procedures, and transitional arrangements are to be published.