February 19, 2024
© Linz AG/fotokerschi
The mayor of Linz, Klaus Luger, described the year 2024 as a “breaking year in terms of investments”. This is because Linz AG, of which Luger is chairman of the supervisory board, is spending 217 million euros on investments this year. Significantly more than last year. For the first time more than 200 million euros and therefore more than ever before. And, as Luger and Linz AG General Director emphasized to journalists, financed from cash flow and therefore without new debt.
The record volume was necessary because of the climate crisis and the energy transition, which required “flexible investments instead of rigid investment plans”. As a result, the majority – a good third – flows into the power grid; namely 76.5 million euros. For comparison: around 4.8 million euros are available for the maintenance of the gas network.
The immense upgrade of the 8,000 kilometer long power grid is necessary, among other things, because of the massive expansion of PV systems. Within three years, the number of systems feeding in would have more than quintupled from 3,000 to 16,600.
Also in the electricity investment package: around 23 million euros are available for the high-voltage network including substations; For the medium and low voltage network it is around 19 million euros.
300 more charging points for electric cars
But Linz AG is also accelerating when it comes to e-mobility. In addition to the current thousand charging points, 300 are to be added this year; half open to the public, half in residential complexes. According to Haider, the focus here is on the central area. In this regard, there is also a focus on fast chargers at local suppliers as well as on the technical development of charging systems for private individuals, which the company, which has 3,000 employees, sells under the name “WallBOX CitySolution”. Around 10.8 million euros are available for this.
And speaking of networks: almost 19 million euros are flowing into the network of the subsidiary Liwest, 10.9 million euros are available for the water supply and around eleven million euros are reserved for the sewer network. Ultimately, Linz AG is also expanding its district heating network: the company is investing around 25 million euros here this year. Luger and Haider repeatedly emphasized that Linz is the “district heating capital” of Austria. 85,000 of the 105,000 apartments are connected to district heating. The offensive launched last year to connect single- and two-family homes to the network was definitely successful, even though these “will not become the company’s cash cows”.
Heat converter is reflected in the budget
A major project that is located in the district heating network is making significant investments this year for the first time. Namely the heat converter, which costs around 75 million euros and will go online at the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027 and will cost 4.5 million euros this year. A heat converter uses waste heat from a power plant and feeds it into the district heating network. “So far only two of this type and largest are in operation in Europe. One in Denmark, one in Hamburg,” said Haider. The concrete decision as to which provider will be chosen will be made “in the next few weeks”. In Linz, this heat converter will go into operation at the Linz-Mitte power plant park.
Both Luger and Haider emphasized the economic impulse that came from Linz AG’s investment program. Luger: “Linz AG is therefore a decisive economic factor in the central area that goes far beyond its core business.”
The investment program also ensures that Linz AG will continue to “provide safe, affordable and environmentally friendly supply and disposal services for 400,000 people,” as Haider says.
By Oliver Koch
2024-02-19 12:46:41
#energy #transition #climate #crisis #forcing #Linz #act
