Die Rolle des Windkraftausbaus für Kärnten

This analysis examines the impacts of various wind energy expansion scenarios on the development of renewable energy in Carinthia, focusing particularly on wind power. The aim is to understand how different restrictions on wind power expansion affect overall electricity system costs, energy supply security, and the use of other technologies (such as photovoltaics (PV), battery storage, and pumped storage).

An optimization model was used to simulate investment decisions for different technologies (wind power, PV, and battery storage) to depict a decarbonized electricity system in Carinthia for the year 2040. Weather and consumption profiles, as well as the costs and potentials of various technologies, were determined based on current literature and research. Three wind power expansion scenarios were analyzed:
(i) a technology-open scenario,
(ii) a scenario with restricted expansion zones, and
(iii) a scenario without any wind power expansion in Carinthia.

The analysis reveals that a complete restriction on wind power expansion would lead to significant additional costs of up to 60% for the electricity system. This is because wind power generation would need to be replaced by an overcapacity of PV systems and additional battery storage, resulting in increased curtailment of PV power and greater reliance on storage, significantly raising system costs. By contrast, limited geographic zoning for wind turbines has much less drastic cost implications. This outcome is partly due to the complementary generation profiles of wind and PV, making wind energy not easily replaceable by additional PV capacity.

In conclusion, a complete ban on wind power in Carinthia would be economically disadvantageous. A moderate expansion of wind power (600–900 MW, equivalent to approximately 120–180 wind turbines) is more economically viable and would lead to lower overall electricity system costs. However, wind power projects should be assessed individually, with input from affected communities, and any concerns should be addressed. A blanket ban on wind power is not considered beneficial.