Vienna West Station becomes a solar power plant. The largest inner-city photovoltaic system is being built on the new platform roof at Vienna’s Westbahnhof.
In the future, the platforms at Vienna Westbahnhof will be more modern, comfortable and environmentally friendly, ÖBB says.
The platforms in need of renovation will be renovated, covered with a bright, large hall roof and the resulting roof area of around 25,500 m² will be used sensibly to generate green electricity.
Construction is scheduled to start in 2028, the roofs are expected to be completed in 2030 and the photovoltaic system will be installed afterwards.
Vienna West Station: photovoltaic system for 100% green electricity
The photovoltaic system on the platform roof is expected to generate around 3,400 MWh of green electricity per year – this corresponds to the average annual electricity requirement of around 850 households.
The electricity is to be used directly to supply the Westbahnhof and all the shops and offices located there.
In addition, the rainwater will be collected by retention layers in the gravel roof to delay its evaporation. This contributes to adapting urban areas to climate change and to reducing negative heat island effects in the city.
“The advantages of solar energy are obvious. With every solar power plant we gain independence, clean electricity, lower energy costs and domestic added value. In addition, we see this as a showcase project in which, in addition to the electricity generated, something is also done for the microclimate and thus for the quality of stay. I am all the more pleased that ÖBB is making its contribution with the major project at Vienna’s Westbahnhof, in keeping with the motto ‘Out of fossil fuels and into renewables’,” said Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler.
ÖBB CFO Manuela Waldner emphasizes the importance of this innovation in Vienna: “We are one of the largest climate protection companies in Austria and pioneered electromobility 100 years ago. Climate protection is therefore part of our DNA. Since 2019, we have been supplying our buildings, operating facilities and container terminals entirely with 100% green electricity. Through this inner-city energy project, we are also implementing our energy strategy in Vienna and once again demonstrating our pioneering role in climate protection.”
“Vienna should be climate-neutral by 2040. The switch to renewable energies is one of the major levers we are setting in motion to achieve this goal. Vienna is already the sun capital. Since the start of Vienna’s solar power offensive in 2021, photovoltaic output in Vienna has quadrupled. 10,000 photovoltaic systems now provide enough solar power to supply more than 57,500 Viennese households with climate-friendly electricity. The Vienna city government welcomes ÖBB’s new project at Westbahnhof, which is another important step towards the energy transition. This is how the future works,” Representing Mayor Michael Ludwig, Viennese state parliament member and city councilor Josef Taucher adds.
ÖBB’s energy strategy
By expanding and modernizing its own hydroelectric, solar and wind power plants, ÖBB, together with partners, wants to increase the level of self-sufficiency in traction current from 60% to 80% and in operating systems from 11% to 67%.
In addition, internal energy efficiency is to be increased by 25%, for example through the modernization of the railway power network or the optimization of buildings.
This will make ÖBB more independent of external energy suppliers and also reduce the burden on the public power grid. ÖBB will invest 1.6 billion euros in this by 2030.
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