A new network tariff regulation approved by Austria’s energy regulator E-Control will impose charges on battery storage systems based on 15-minute peak demand \u2014 and industry associations warn the change could sharply erode investment incentives and stall a portion of projects in development.<\/p>\n
The rule, known as SNE-G-V, takes effect on 1 January 2027 and reshapes how grid fees are calculated. Over a three-year phase-in, consumers will shift from a model in which 90 percent of charges reflect energy volume to a 50-50 split between volume and peak power measured in 15-minute intervals. The reform also introduces reduced-rate zones for charging when generation is in surplus \u2014 daytime in summer, overnight in winter \u2014 and allows distribution operators to curtail a site’s electricity draw up to twice daily under flexible connection contracts.<\/p>\n
Three renewable and storage sector bodies \u2014 Windkraft \u00d6sterreich, the solar grouping PV&B Austria, and the BESS industry union \u2014 say the regulation fails to account for the specific operating characteristics of batteries and are calling for parity with the rules that apply to pumped-hydro plants. E-Control has rejected that criticism, projecting annual savings of up to \u20ac300 million through smoother load management.<\/p>\n
The regulator did include ten discount options for systems operating in a grid-friendly mode, but investors have called those concessions insufficient. Industry groups also expressed frustration with the consultation process: market participants submitted more than 1,000 pages of comments, yet energy storage specialists were excluded from the final rounds of tariff negotiations.<\/p>\n