Vienna invests in solar energy

Green roofs to be subsidised by 2025

Yesterday, 26 May 2021, the City of Vienna presented initiatives to develop solar energy. Starting 1 June, photovoltaic systems on green roofs will be subsidised with the aim of increasing the production of solar power fivefold by 2025.

The Environment City Councillor Jürgen Czernohorszky (SPÖ) announced at a press conference on Wednesday: “This is the biggest photovoltaic offensive in history. The aim is for us to install as many photovoltaic systems every year by the end of the government period as we have in the last 15 years together.”

Green roofs by 2025

With this solar power strategy, the city will rely on large areas that serve as photovoltaic power plants as well as private households that are supposed to green their roofs and simultaneously use solar power. The deadline for implementation is one year from granting of funding.

With further development by 2030, solar energy will generate 10% of the required electricity. It was calculated that this could provide solar power to 530,000 Vienna residents. As a first step, the Viennese photovoltaic green roof subsidy is implementing a new aid system. The highest amount of funding amounts to 180,000 euros.

According to the city council, the funding for the Vienna green electricity fund will be increased by roughly two million euros. This subsidy will mostly affect property developers who construct new dwellings. Existing roofs can also be fitted with various solar modules. Solar energy systems have the ability to be integrated onto two-thirds of all Viennese roofs.

The promotion of green roofs and solar systems has synergistic effects when used together. Since greening improves the performance of solar modules, the efficiency and yield of the present area can be improved. Through the partial shadowing of the green roof, the combination of the roof with photovoltaics and solar heat also provides new habitats for animals and plants.