Sustainable energy development in Austria until 2020: Insights from applying the integrated model “e3.at”

This paper reports on the Austrian research project “Renewable energy in Austria: Modeling possible development trends until 2020”. The project investigated possible economic and ecological effects of a substantially increased use of renewable energy sources in Austria. Together with stakeholders and experts, three different scenarios were defined, specifying possible development trends for renewable energy in Austria. The scenarios were simulated for the period 2006–2020, using the integrated environment–energy–economy model “e3.at”. The modeling results indicate that increasing the share of renewable energy sources in total energy use is an important but insufficient step towards achieving a sustainable energy system in Austria. A substantial increase in energy efficiency and a reduction of residential energy consumption also form important cornerstones of a sustainable energy policy.

► Together with stakeholders three renewable energy scenarios for Austria were defined. ► The scenarios were simulated using an integrated environment–energy–economy model. ► Increasing the share of renewables in total energy use is important but insufficient. ► Efficiency and a cut of energy use are also essential for a sustainable energy system.