Subsidy System as a Farce

Controversy Rages Over the Photovoltaic “Lottery”

Anyone hoping to secure a grant for a rooftop PV system has to act fast—and need a bit of luck.(Bild: Kerschbaummayr Werner)

Applicants had just 33 seconds during the most recent call for proposals—then the subsidy fund for the installation of photovoltaic systems ran out, and many who wanted to install solar power came up empty-handed. The unsatisfactory subsidy system is drawing harsh criticism—from those affected as well as from state politicians.

“A bad joke—when will this farce finally end?” asks a disappointed applicant from Asten in an email to the “OÖ-Krone.” “What on earth are our politicians thinking?” the man asks, referring to the regulations surrounding subsidies for PV systems. During the most recent call for applications, applicants once again had to act extremely quickly. After just 33 seconds, it was already too late for them.

Federal Government Plans Legislative Reform
The “Krone” forwarded the reader’s question, in essence, to the responsible State Secretary for Energy, Elisabeth Zauner (ÖVP). Her response: The legal framework currently allows little leeway. However: “We are reforming the law that imposes these requirements on us. This reform is currently being coordinated within the coalition. Our goal is for the system to function better and in a more predictable manner starting in 2027,” says Zehetner. What qualifies for subsidies will also be a key factor: “The focus must be more strongly on ensuring that people use the electricity they generate at home themselves.”

We are reforming the law that sets these requirements for us. Our goal is for the system to function better and be more predictable starting in 2027.

Energie-Staatssekretärin Elisabeth Zehetner (ÖVP)

Anyone who wants to secure a subsidy for a rooftop PV system has to act fast and need a bit of luck.(Bild: Kerschbaummayr Werner)

Sales Tax Exemption Reversed
Zehetner explains why the current federal government has repealed the sales tax exemption for PV systems up to 35 kilowatt-peak (kWp) that was introduced by Gewessler: “Blanket subsidies are not a responsible use of taxpayer money. PV systems are more affordable today than ever before and, in many cases, pay for themselves even without government support.”

Criticism of the Greens, but not of his own party
Even during the time of the Black-Green federal government, State Energy Minister Markus Achleitner (ÖVP) repeatedly criticized the then-responsible minister, Leonore Gewessler (Greens), for the subsidy practices, which he described as an “online lottery” and the “Gewessler call system.” However, the fact that the Ministry of Energy—now led by his ÖVP party colleague Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer—is responsible for the same practices has not yet elicited any public comment from Achleitner. “When the criticism is directed at his party colleagues, he remains silent. This is the best example of how he is clearly overwhelmed by the energy agenda in the state government,” snaps Green Party leader and State Councilor Stefan Kaineder, who would like to see that very agenda back in Green hands.

Speaking to the “Krone,” Achleitner defends his position: He has repeatedly advocated at the federal level for a predictable subsidy system. “One possibility, for example, would be a fixed amount per kilowatt of installed capacity, always in combination with a storage system.”

Private individuals and business owners are frustrated
One thing is clear: partisan squabbles do nothing to improve the system. Private individuals and businesses expect practical solutions when it comes to funding calls, as an electrical contractor from central Upper Austria also demands in a letter to Energie AG obtained by the “Krone.” “On days like these, eight of our employees stay in the office after hours to submit grant applications. When over 90 percent of those applications still stand no chance of being approved, it’s simply frustrating for customers and for us as specialized contractors. We urgently need a solution.”