As of the end of 2014, solar power in Austria amounted to 766

megawatt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...

(MW) of cumulative photovoltaic (PV) capacity, of which more than three quarters were installed within the last four years. Solar PV generated 766 gigawatt-hours, or about 1.4% of the country's final electricity consumption. As with most other European countries, 99.5 percent of all

solar power systems A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is an electric power system designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaics. It consists of an arrangement of several components, including solar panels to absorb and c ...

are connected to the electrical grid. The nation's installed PV capacity by inhabitant (watt-peak per capita) stood at 91 watts, still below the European Union's 2014-average of 172 watts. Photovoltaic deployment in Austria had been rather modest for many years, while in other European countries, such as

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, installations were booming with new records year after year. However, in an overall declining European solar market, annual PV deployment jumped beyond 100 megawatt in 2012 and remained above that level at 263 MW and 140 MW for 2013 and 2014, respectively. The

European Photovoltaic Industry Association European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe a ...

forecasts, that Austria, together with other mid-sized countries, will contribute significantly to European PV deployment in the coming years. In 2009, the site of Zwentendorf power station became

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

's largest solar power station with an investment of 1.2 million Euro, with the addition of 1,000 photovoltaic panels. Zwentendorf was intended to be Austria's first nuclear power plant, but after a vote in 1978 prohibiting nuclear power in Austria, was never completed. In September, 2011, Austria's largest solar power station, 2 MW, was under construction in the

Niedere Tauern The Lower TauernThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 1, 2003, p. 86. or Niedere Tauern () are a mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps, in the Austrian states of Salzburg and Styria. For the etymology of the name, see Tauern. Geography ...

mountain range.Albasolar provides 2MW for the largest solar Park in Austria
/ref> Austria has also a large capacity of

solar heating A solar thermal collector collects heat by absorbing sunlight. The term "solar collector" commonly refers to a device for solar hot water heating, but may refer to large power generating installations such as solar parabolic troughs and sola ...

at its disposal. With more than 3,500 MW_thermal the country ranks second in the EU, only behind much larger Germany. EurObserv'ER: Solar thermal and concentrated solar power barometer - May 2014
/ref>

Photovoltaic installations

Statistics

See also

References

External links