photo: ÖBB press materials/ÖBB celebrates World Creation Day with environmentally-friendly photovoltaic systems
ÖBB, which produces environmentally-friendly electricity using 45 photovoltaic systems and is one of the largest climate protection companies in Austria, celebrated World Climate Day. The company is implementing a comprehensive climate protection strategy to conserve the earth's resources and sustainably reduce its ecological footprint.
Between 2020 and 2021, ÖBB more than tripled its annual electricity production from 2,945 megawatt-hours to 10,045 megawatt-hours. Today, 45 photovoltaic systems at operating facilities and open spaces provide green electricity, and 32 new plants are planned for construction by the end of 2022.
The Austrian Railways has relied on clean and environmentally friendly energy for more than 130 years. In addition to hydroelectric power plants, solar power plants have been providing 100% clean electricity to the rail system since 2015.
"When the sun shines, we are all happy. At ÖBB, we are doubly happy because our 45 photovoltaic systems produce green electricity for our rail operations. For us, generating electricity from renewable energy is an important lever in the fight against the climate crisis. And, of course, it makes us independent of fossil fuels. With the photovoltaic offensive, we are not only increasing our generation of green electricity for our facilities and our rail network, but we are also creating sustainable value for the future. This strengthens our position as one of the most important climate protection companies in Austria," emphasizes ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä.
The world's first solar power plant with traction capacity was commissioned in 2015 in Wilfleinsdorf in Lower Austria. In 2021, two more ground-mounted plants and a rooftop installation were installed there. Between Vienna and Salzburg, 900 trains can now run with 100% green traction current generated from renewable solar energy. In addition, 17 systems with 7,256 solar modules have been installed on the roof, which sustainably generates a three-phase current at 50 hertz for ÖBB's buildings and production facilities. Each plant contributes to increasing the independent generation of environmentally friendly electricity for rail transport and thus comes one step closer to the goal of achieving CO2-neutral mobility by 2030.