Energiebezirk Freistadt

The topics of climate protection and energy concern us all. Since 2005, the non-profit association Energiebezirk Freistadt (EBF) has been an active hub for companies, organizations, communities, and private individuals to work together on a sustainable energy supply in the Freistadt district together with their 28 member municipalities. The economical use of renewable regional forms of energy is the basis for this. EBF, together with the citizens from its region, is a driving innovative force to advance the energy transition.

Always aim high, if you don’t achieve everything, you’ll still achieve a lot!

Norbert Miesenberger

Managing Director

Our Story

Where/How did you first get the idea to start your project?  

When people in our region where protesting against the Nuclear Plant of Temelin, just a few kilometers away, we said, if people are against something, they have to be FOR something as well. The communities in the Freistadt district have recognized the challenge of the climate crisis early and in 2005 the non-profit association Energiebezirk Freistadt (EBF) was founded.

Ever since, the EBF has realised forward-looking projects in the areas of renewable energies, sustainable mobility, Climate change adaptation and climate protection and connects politics, business and private individuals.

Energy communities represent a new milestone for the Austrian energy industry. The population now gets the opportunity to join forces, to share energy. Around the wind farm Spörbichl in Windhaag the EBF works on building an energy community. The energy community Spörbichl will be one of the first energy communities in Austria.

How did you convince others to join the energy community? 

Since 2018, the EBF has been promoting the regionalization of renewable energy together with our partner, the OurPower energy cooperative. Around the Spörbichl wind farm in Windhaag near Freistadt, more than 30 power plant operators and more than 200 electricity customers are already networked and obtain electricity directly from the region. Building on this existing network, which is open to all interested parties, further development towards a renewable energy community is to follow.

What was your goal you wanted to achieve when you first initiated the energy community?

The energetic added value stays in the region and we become less dependent on global markets.

What were the biggest challenges in the process?

As with every early adopter who starts a project on the basis of political decisions without existing bureaucratic processes, the hurdles and stumbling blocks are huge at the beginning.

What is your superpower? 

More than in many other regions, key stakeholders are already connected and interacting with each other via the vehicle of Energiebezirk Freistadt. That is why the processes of decision making on all levels of politics, economy and society as a whole are shortened and streamlined throughout the region.