Call for a reduction

Lower energy prices should save industry

Dietmar Prammer, Alois Stöger and Roland Baumann call for "lower energy prices" together with works councils and voestalpine employees.(Bild: pixelkinder.com // Peter Kollroß)

The fact that large wind farms in Upper Austria will be made de facto impossible in future is not only disturbing to the Greens and the Chamber of Commerce. The SPÖ considers wind power to be an effective means of reducing energy prices. This in turn would secure the industrial location and jobs.

It is not the order of the day that the demands of the SPÖ and the Greens are virtually identical to those of the ÖVP-dominated Chamber of Commerce (WKOÖ). When it comes to the expansion of renewable energy sources, however, there is unanimity here - at the latest since Black-Blue presented a wind power exclusion zone plan a week ago today, which also brings down the largest wind farm planned in Upper Austria to date in Sandl.

WKOÖ regrets neglect of wind power
"Upper Austria is a leader in the generation of PV electricity. Wind power has long been neglected," regrets the Chamber of Commerce on its website. "Ensure security of supply, reduce costs and drive forward the expansion of renewable energies," demands WKOÖ President Doris Hummer.

"We need at least 100 wind turbines"
The SPÖ is now taking the same line: "Lower energy prices and faster expansion of renewable energies to reduce electricity costs are urgently needed," says Dietmar Prammer, the red candidate for mayor of Linz - for Upper Austria as an industrial and business location. He receives support from the interim head of the provincial SPD, Alois Stöger: "The ÖVP-FPÖ provincial government has done too little to expand renewable energies and storage capacities. We only have 31 wind turbines, but we need at least 100."

However, there seems to be no chance that the ÖVP and FPÖ will change their minds: in the plan presented, only 0.74 percent of the state's area is designated as wind power acceleration zones.