Austria Plans Year-Round Solar Support After 43,000 Applications Filed in Ten Minutes

Austria’s Federal Ministry for Climate and Energy has announced plans to overhaul the country’s solar subsidy system after its latest funding round was swamped with applications in the opening minutes.

During the third round of Austria’s EAG-based solar grant programme, administered by agency OeMAG, roughly 43,300 applications were submitted within the first ten minutes of the intake window opening — nearly double the 24,900 received in an equivalent window during the summer round. Organised campaigns offering training sessions and application vouchers amplified the surge, drawing criticism that the procedure had effectively become a speed-based lottery rather than a structured support mechanism.

The ministry says it intends to replace the round-based model with continuous, year-round application intake from 2027, with eligibility tied to completion of installation. Traditional investment grants would be phased out in favour of storage bonuses, available exclusively to systems combining smart energy management and European-made inverters. Storage-equipped systems commissioned from 1 November 2026 onward would qualify for support under the new framework starting in 2027.

The reform is designed to relieve the strain on digital intake infrastructure and provide more even financing for installation companies across the calendar year. The proposed legislative changes require a two-thirds parliamentary majority, however, meaning the government will need opposition backing for the reform to pass.

Source: PV Magazine