The Upper Austrian State Audit Office (LRH) lacks specific targets for the state to reduce greenhouse gases. The current reason is an initiative review, according to which around 3,200 heating conversions to renewable energy sources were funded annually between 2019 and 2022.
If the pace remains the same, the goal of no longer using fossil fuel heating systems by 2040 will probably not be achieved, according to the test report. However, there is no overview of the number of heating systems. Specifically, according to LRH, the replacement of fossil fuel boilers in private living areas was funded with around 41 million euros from 2019 to 2022. “This meant that around 7,350 biomass heating systems, 4,700 heat pumps, 650 local and district heating connections and around 1,100 solar thermal systems could be built,” calculated LRH director Rudolf Hoscher. If we continued at this pace, a maximum of 60,000 boilers could be replaced by 2040 – but the auditors assume that there would be more. Data would be missing According to a potential analysis by the country from 2020, around 220,000 residential buildings were heated with fossil fuels at the time . The Upper Austrian energy report for the period 2019/20 lists around 82,000 residential units that are heated with heating oil and an evaluation of the building and housing register (GWR) by the LRH revealed – as of autumn 2022 – 130,000 residential buildings heated with fossil fuels. In the GWR, the type of heating is entered when a building is installed, according to the LRH, but it is unclear whether changes are always recorded. Conclusion: There is a lack of reliable data. Criticism from the opposition Despite the criticism, ÖVP club chairman Christian Dörfel sees “an important confirmation of our comprehensive climate and energy strategy” from the LRH. SPÖ, Greens and NEOS also see themselves confirmed by the LRH report – namely in their criticism of the black-blue climate policy: SPÖ energy spokesman Thomas Antlinger takes LH Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) to task as the highest coordinator in matters of climate protection, ” to finally define clear climate goals.” Green Party chairman Severin Mayr sees the lack of CO2 reduction targets as a reason why the climate and energy strategy cannot work. “A plan without a goal is not a plan. And a plan doesn’t work without a reliable database,” said the deputy NEOS parliamentary group leader Julia Bammer. Funding for heating exchanges The federal and state governments promote the exchange of fossil fuel boilers under different conditions; applications to the federal and state governments can be submitted independently of each other. The federal government supports the exchange with up to 7,500 euros or 50 percent of the project costs; the state also supports the exchange with 1,700 to 2,900 euros. Additional funding is also possible from both sides, so that funding rates of 70 percent or more can be achieved for a project. Based on the 2024 Budget Accompanying Act, it should be 75 percent in the future.
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