A new wind farm can supply electricity for 34 000 households. That’s as much as 4% of the new turbines needed to reach Lower Austria’s wind energy targets by 2030

Lower Austria is no stranger to the impacts of climate change. It’s one of the driest regions of the country. That’s why the regional administration of Lower Austria has made strides to cut its carbon emissions and invest in green energy.

The new 11-turbine Engelhartstetten wind farm  will increase production capacity for its owner, WLK energy, by 75%. For Austrians, it means affordable, clean energy with a smaller carbon footprint.

 “This project is very close to my heart,” says Mario Wohanka, managing director of WLK. “It has been 11 years in the making, but I am convinced persistence will pay off, satisfying our hunger for green electricity and transforming the energy sector.”

It’s also a project backed by the European Union. The European Investment Bank, the EU’s financing arm, is supporting the construction and operation of the wind farm together with Erste Bank Austria, with loans of up to €79.2 million to WLK energy.

The Engelhartstetten wind farm creates jobs and unlocks funding for communal infrastructure and local facilities that improve daily life for citizens.

“Giving back is an important part of our philosophy,” says Wohanka.

Those efforts are crucial to Austria’s 2030 goal of generating 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources.

“We partner with a dynamic local promoter to boost Austria’s renewable production capacity and address the needs of citizens severely impacted by energy prices,” says Cristina Span, a loan officer at the European Investment Bank.

The European Investment Bank pioneered financing for wind energy in Austria, helping to accelerate the country’s decarbonisation.

“This local wind farm is a piece of a bigger global jigsaw through which our promoters are shaping the future of sustainable energy supply, globally, in Europe, and in Austria,” said EIB energy expert Andreas Heinz.

The European Investment Bank, which is owned by the 27 EU member states, is lending €51.5 million for the Engelhartstetten wind farm. That’s just one of many investments in Austria by the European Union’s financing arm. Last year, we invested €1.26 billion in Austria, financing renewable energy, affordable housing, and small and medium-sized businesses.

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