Welcome to SHAREs & SHAREs+ in Austria
SHAREs+ in Austria - building on success
At the launch of SHAREs+ in mid-2025, Austria already counted approximately 10,000 active energy communities, including joint generation plants. This remarkable level of implementation makes Austria a frontrunner in community energy and an ideal partner for capacity building, peer learning, and structured knowledge exchange within the project.
The Austrian Energy Agency (AEA), as the Austrian project partner, assumes three central roles:
First, it serves as a leading provider of expertise and practical support, enabling partner countries to build the skills, structures, and regulatory frameworks required for successful energy community implementation. In this capacity, AEA hosts a two-day study visit, jointly organizes a structured mentoring scheme together with BSERC, and establishes a Community Energy Peer Circle. Drawing on Austria’s extensive experience, AEA shares proven best practices, provides guidance on overcoming regulatory and operational challenges, and strengthens capacity for new initiatives across participating countries.
Furthermore, building on its role as coordinator of the predecessor project SHAREs, AEA is responsible for establishing the national gateways and supporting partner countries in the development of their respective national information hubs, thereby ensuring long-term accessibility, visibility, and knowledge exchange.
In addition, AEA will further expand and refine its national information hub (energie-teilen.at), strengthening its functionality, visibility, and user orientation. At the same time, AEA will continue to enhance the blueprint by integrating lessons learned, practical insights, and feedback from partner countries to ensure its long-term applicability and transferability.
SHAREs in Austria -
from concept to action
It was clear from the start that Austria, with its ambitious energy policy, would become a leading example for energy communities across Europe. This proved to be a major advantage for the project, as other countries were able to learn directly from Austria's experience with regard to the creation of a regulatory framework and the establishment of public support services for energy communities. In addition, after a thorough analysis of existing barriers, several new services for local heroes were developed to complement the Austrian services.
Closing the gaps with a targeted and complementary approach
Austria already has a centralised resource hub for energy communities. As part of SHAREs, we have closed existing gaps in coordination with all relevant stakeholders. This included the development of a comprehensive communication campaign specifically designed for energy community founders to attract new members. We also developed a decision-making tool – a simple and clear matrix – to help founders choose the most suitable energy-sharing model based on their starting point. Furthermore, we provide them with a collection of free tools and planning resources.
Within the short time span of a year and a half, the website reached 150,000 views, which underlines the success and importance of energie-teilen.at.
Pilots become pioneers
Due to the rapid development of energy communities in Austria, several projects originally planned as pilots have evolved into pioneers. This process has enhanced both national collaboration and international knowledge exchange in the frame of the mentoring scheme. In total, five pilot projects have been successfully supported in Austria, ranging from the most basic types of energy communities to more advanced and innovative models.
Discover the five pioneering projects that paved the way for SHAREs+ in Austria.
Three important achievements that would not have been possible without SHAREs
Energie-teilen.at provides services that address key barriers identified by SHAREs stakeholders.
International capacity building and knowledge transfer took place at all possible levels and even went beyond the partner countries.
SHAREs facilitated targeted knowledge building on a national level for different audiences, including a crash course designed for journalists, podcasts for both experts and the general public and an event on energy communities and energy poverty. These activities aimed to bring together relevant stakeholders and foster a comprehensive understanding of the topics.
National event
SHAREs teamed up with ENPOR for the national event in Austria to discuss how energy communities can support energy poor households.
Future challenges
Austrian energy communities focus primarily on the electricity sector, as the model is currently less attractive for the inclusion of heating. To meet the challenges of a fully renewable energy system in the future, energy communities need to become more system friendly. This includes, for example, integrating storage facilities, supporting vulnerable groups, offering flexibility to the electricity market and using power-to-heat technologies.
Further materials
Podcast Petajoule on Austrian energy communities (in German)
Crashcourse Climate & Energy on Austrian energy communities (in German)
“Folgewirkung” podcast of the Climate and Energy Fund on energy communities (in German)
Austrian SHAREs pilots
Austrian project partners
Founded in 1977, the Austrian Energy Agency is a non-profit scientific association whose purpose is to develop, support and implement measures that foster sustainable energy supply and use. The Agency prepares the ground for decisions in politics, public administrations and the industry with detailed research and by highlighting important dependencies and connections between topics. It provides information for all target groups in our society on the backgrounds and developments in the field of energy production and use.
Your contact-person: Angela Holzmann
OurPower is an emerging energy cooperative in Austria operating a countrywide peer-to-peer marketplace for RES electricity generated by its members. The cooperative handles the online matching services as well as the whole process of electricity supply and billing. Currently OurPower has 300 members aiming to expand to up to 10.000 over the next two years.
Your contact-person: Ulfert Höhne
Contact
Angela Holzmann, project coordinator SHAREs
Österreichische Energieagentur – Austrian Energy Agency (AEA)
Mariahilfer Straße 136, 1150 Vienna, Österreich
angela.holzmann@energyagency.at
last updated: 20.02.2026