Clean electricity

“Eco-storm”: Wind turbine now humming at mountain hut

With great effort, the idealists of the "mountain association" have now erected a powerful wind turbine at Eisenstein

(Bild: Alpenverein – Gebirgsverein)

Electricity in alpine huts - a rare commodity! This makes the wind turbine now installed on the "Julius Seitner" in the Türnitz Alps all the more valuable. Modern "rotor giants" are also replacing existing turbines in Pillichsdorf in the Weinviertel region.

Solar energy was not enough, especially in the darker winter months. "Then, despite the PV system - not necessarily climate-friendly, but unfortunately indispensable for the power supply - the emergency petrol generator had to be switched on," explains Bernhard Schwarz, the environmentally conscious landlord of the Julius Seitner Hut at 1185 meters above sea level.

An additional difficulty for the keeper of this popular alpine base: the summit restaurateur had to lug the fuel on his back over hill and dale to a clear height. A shortcoming that prompted the members of the mountain club to take action. But now these troubles have come to an end. And the chapter of the fossil age at the base between Türnitz in the district of Lilienfeld and the Pielachtal municipality of Loich in the district of St. Pölten can finally be closed. A powerful wind turbine, erected by true idealists, has recently been humming on a rock pinnacle.

(Bild: Alpenverein – Gebirgsverein)

"Clean Alps"
"This makes us as good as energy self-sufficient. The additional green electricity generated will keep the UV system for water disinfection, the water pump, the freezer and the dishwasher running," explains club manager Christian Schreiter. Incidentally, the Alpine Association "Gebirgsverein" is consistently implementing the concept of "clean Alps" at all 19 mountain huts in five federal states.

Pillichsdorf im Weinviertel

Im Windpark weht ein frischer Wind

When politicians use unpronounceable foreign words, you quickly get the impression that there is something to hide. Yet the plans for the Pillichsdorf wind farm in the Mistelbach district, which are currently being run under the motto "repowering", need not remain a secret at all. Following the positive environmental impact assessment, nothing stands in the way of the expansion and conversion of the wind power plant, as ÖVP state vice-president Stephan Pernkopf has now revealed to the "Krone" newspaper: "Five existing turbines will be dismantled and replaced by seven new, state-of-the-art wind turbines."

Another 200 wind turbines will be added to the current 800 over the next few years. This will double our electricity production.

Stephan Pernkopf, ÖVP-Landesvize und Umweltreferent

Bild: NLK

This will more than triple the capacity on site from 16 to 56 megawatts. In future, the wind farm will supply more than 33,000 households with clean green electricity. "Since 2005, CO₂ emissions in the country have fallen by more than a third," emphasizes Pernkopf, who also wants to invest in the expansion of the electricity grids.