Project outline

One of Murau District's aims is to become self-sufficient in space heating and electricity by 2015. Since the District has plenty of woodland and gets a lot of sun, there is an increasing focus on erecting biomass cogeneration units and photovoltaic facilities. Small-scale hydropower is also to be boosted. With numerous local electricity generators in place, the District already covers 2/3 of its electricity consumption within its boundaries. However, this shift to more and more local generation creates increasing problems in the grid - which push costs up.

That was the reason for launching the action group "Secure regional electricity supply", with the aim of setting up an intelligent grid for the District, capable of coping better with challenges resulting from local power generation. The hope is also that the District will be able to cover peak electricity demand without imports, and that the best use can be made of synergies between different sources of energy. The district grid should also be developed in such a way that even if the national grid breaks down the power supply to essential facilities in the District is still ensured.

Project focus

• 100 % reliable electricity supply at the local level in the Murau region
• Extending the scope of local electricity generation all the way to self-sufficiency
• Generators and consumers close together (regional grid network)
• 100 % reliable power supply for the region
• Microgrids as stabilizing element for future grids

Project management & contact

Stadtwerke Murau
Ing. Kurt Woitischek
E-Mail: woitischek@stadtwerke-murau.at

Partners in project

• E-Werk Neumarkt
• E-Werk Schöder
• Manfred Zettlacher OHG
• Energieagentur Obersteiermark West
• Wallner&Schauer GmbH
• Siemens Austria