# Murau : Real-World Laboratory of energy transition for inner-alpine regions
Short Description
Starting point / motivation
The background is the fact that the implementation of the EU goals (halving greenhouse gas emissions in just 10 years) and #mission2030 (climate neutrality in Austria in just 20 years) requires a massive expansion of renewable energy sources' use. While a few percent more renewables in the system would not pose a problem, this massive expansion requires intelligent system solutions; otherwise, we will very quickly push the power grid to its limits.
The central asset of the Murau region is that Murau already produces three times as much renewable electricity as it consumes and that 75% is supplied with renewable heat. With every further step, the region will be able to examine everything in the real test that other regions are still ahead of.
Contents and goals
The project aims to clarify all the necessary prerequisites as to how the Murau region - prototypical for inner-alpine regions - can advance and enable the implementation of the energy transition in Austria.
The goal is not only the current vision of becoming 100% energy sovereign with the power of nature, but also to supply the energy-hungry conurbations as an energy export region by transforming renewable electricity from a fluctuating "problem" into a fail-safe, demand-oriented and controllable variable; for the region itself and regions with a thirst for energy - i.e. for the growing central areas and cities.
Pursuing the goal of climate neutrality means that the Murau region supplies itself with renewable energy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - and not only in the electricity sector but also in heat and mobility. These systems must be understood as increasingly coupled with each other.
Methods
Therefore, based on the vision "100% real-climate-neutral and export region for the metropolitan areas", it will be clarified together with regional and national stakeholders how these goals can be implemented on the basis of the real regional situation in the area, prototypically for all inner-alpine regions.
This takes place along six development axes, which ultimately represent the major current challenges of the energy transition:
- 100% heating transition and winter-season electricity,
- demand-based electricity supply and PV expansion,
- "refuelable" renewable energy sources,
- mobility transition through intelligent sector coupling,
- climate-neutral companies
- and - as a central element for every region - people as active partners in the energy transition.
Expected results
By clarifying the concrete solutions that can be implemented from the strength of the region, prototypical solutions are to be implemented as a future living lab, thereby supporting the political goals of climate neutrality in a very concrete way and not only for the region itself.
Because: energy transition happens every day for all people very practically - or it remains a fiction!
Project Partners
Project management
Holzwelt Murau - Mag. Erich Fritz
Project- bzw. Cooperationspartners
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
- HyCentA Research GmbH
- Biowärme Lachtal GmbH
- Murauer Stadtwerke GmbH
- Marktgemeinde Neumarkt Versorgungsbetriebsges.m.b.H.
- Elektrowerk Schöder GmbH
Contact Address
Holzwelt Murau
Mag. Erich Fritz
Bundesstraße 13a
A-8850 Murau
Tel.: +43 (3532) 20000 11
E-Mail: erich.fritz@holzwelt.at
Web: www.energieregionmurau.at