Electricity labelling conceals origin

In Austria it is legal to sell pure nuclear power as green electricity.

The Austrian electricity mix still contains up to 13.3 per cent nuclear power. “For a country that likes to present itself as a fighter against nuclear power, that is not very creditable,” remarks Stefan Moidl, managing director of IG Windkraft (the Austrian wind energy association): “At present, the only way to push nuclear power out of Austria’s grids can be the rapid expansion of renewable energy.

With the current Green Electricity Act there is no prospect at all for new wind farms. This situation must finally be resolved with a rapid, major reform of the Green Electricity Act.” While Austria repeatedly presents itself to the outside world as a fighter against nuclear energy, the Austrian electricity mix still contains up to 13.3 per cent nuclear power. “Unfortunately, in this area too, political statements have little to do with the real situation,” remarks Stefan Moidl, managing director of IG Windkraft.

Electricity labelling conceals the real origin of power

Although this year’s electricity labelling report by the regulator E-Control states that “no certificates from nuclear energy were used”, this unfortunately does not mean that Austria is free of nuclear power. “Unfortunately, the certificates say nothing about where the electricity comes from,” says an annoyed Moidl: “Because guarantees of origin are traded independently of the electricity sold.” In Austria it is legal to sell pure nuclear power as green electricity. All you need to do is obtain a guarantee of origin for renewable energy, and you can then sell nuclear power as renewable electricity. “How large this share really is can only be estimated,” explains Moidl: “Depending on the calculation method, the share of nuclear power lies between 3.6 and 13.3%. These uncertainties could be resolved at a stroke if guarantees of origin could not be traded separately from the electricity.” (see the background paper on electricity labelling in Austria)

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