Project Schattendorf

Energy community as a major showcase project

The energy community and the Sonnenpark have long been regarded as flagship projects and are now also attracting international attention.(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

The energy community in Schattendorf impressed at an international conference.

As Austria's largest renewable energy community, Schattendorf has already made a name for itself in the past. Now the project, which provides citizens with cheap electricity, is also attracting attention beyond Austria's borders. At the conference of energy communities with an international expert audience and over 1000 participants, Schattendorf was highlighted as a prime example.

Already 500 metering points
The project is a successful example that shows how people can become more independent of the energy market, explains Mayor Thomas Hoffmann. He was particularly keen to address those who cannot afford their own photovoltaic system or do not have the structural possibilities. There are now around 500 metering points in the energy community.

Thomas Hoffmann with Philip Payer from Burgenland Energie at the conference.(Bild: zVg)

Allaying concerns
It is also important to involve the local population in the implementation and to dispel any concerns, says Hoffmann. The fact that the municipality and not a profit-oriented, private company was behind the project was an advantage. "The support of the state as the majority owner of the Sonnenpark was also important. Without the state, this would not have been possible," says Hoffmann.