Competitive Industry

Almost half (48%) of Austria's total greenhouse gas emissions (39.4 million of 82.3 million tons of CO₂ equivalents) are attributable to industry, including the energy sector (2017; source: Federal Environment Agency, 2019). The decarbonization of industry is therefore an essential component for the success of the energy transition. At the same time, many industries are considered "hard to abate" sectors - i.e. areas in which CO₂-neutral technologies are particularly difficult and complex to introduce.

Industry accounts for around 19% of total value added in Austria, and 46% including industry-related and production-related services. The almost 3,600 industrial companies employ more than 423,000 people, which is around 15% of all employees in Austria.

The challenge is to transform the industry while maintaining or even increasing competitiveness. Achieving these goals will require changes to the framework conditions at global, European and, of course, Austrian level.

Austrian industry is also a driver of innovation and technology development - activities that are essential for the successful transformation to a climate-neutral energy and economic system and a sustainable society. Furthermore, as climate awareness increases worldwide, the global demand for innovations, technologies and solutions that enable this transformation is growing. Austrian companies are already well established in many of these areas. Climate protection is therefore becoming a growth driver.

We provide answers for climate-neutral industry

The industry is a major challenge and at the same time key to the sustainable restructuring of the economy. The topics are diverse, from electrification to the use of hydrogen to carbon capture and utilization. At the same time, the aspect of competitiveness must be taken into account. The experts at the Austrian Energy Agency have a wide range of training in different specialist areas and can therefore work on this complex area in an interdisciplinary manner.