Wiener Stadtwerke: committed to the environment

For many years now, a variety of different ecological models and technologies have been implemented in Vienna that have not only led to a reduction of the consumption of fossil fuels, but also resulted in a sustainable quality of life for the city’s inhabitants.

World’s best in cities ranking

Wiener Stadtwerke are an essential element of the city's infrastructure. Electricity and water supplies, district heating, waste disposal and public transport all contribute to the high quality of life that, year after year, has placed Vienna amongst the top five in the world cities ranking.

Energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy

These efficient supplies for the people of Vienna would not in themselves suffice to ensure their quality of life if the city achieved this using technologies harmful to the environment. Active climate protection not only has an impact on the population and future generations, but is also an important factor in maintaining Vienna as an attractive business location. Clean technologies go hand in hand with energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy.

Sustainability report

As long ago as 2005, this prompted Wiener Stadtwerke to publish a sustainability report bringing together the various different elements of sustainability: ecology, business, social services and society. In addition to this, in the summer of 2006 they organized a workshop with experts from companies that already gained considerable experience of sustainability reporting. Held under the motto “Sustainable Companies – Strategies 2010”, the workshop was aimed at staff of Wiener Stadtwerke and Vienna Municipality.

A book has since also been published under the same title. The publisher, Wiener Stadtwerke sustainability officer and former Councillor for the Environment Isabella Kossina, documents the contributions and results of this workshop, and places the sustainability process at Wiener Stadtwerke in a political and economic context.

Sun and wind: inexhaustible sources of energy

The City of Vienna is making increasing use of renewable sources of energy. The “Sunshine for Vienna” campaign, for instance, promotes the use of solar installations, and wind generators are also being installed to the North and South of the city. A single wind generator produces enough electricity for about a thousand households. Another pilot project is based on the principle of the heat exchanger, using the waste water in Vienna's sewer network for the heating and air-conditioning of buildings.

Biomass instead of oil and coal

Europe’s largest biomass power station commenced operation in Vienna in the autumn of 2006, supplying 48,000 households with electricity, and a further 12,000 households with heating. Instead of 47,000 tonnes of heating oil, or 72,000 tonnes of hard coal, the power station burns 200,000 tonnes of wood chips and bark a year. Benefit for the environment: carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 144,000 tonnes a year.

World’s most ecological engine

Together with the motor vehicle manufacturer MAN, Vienna Lines have developed the world’s most environmentally friendly combustion engine for buses. The engine’s emission values are less than half those prescribed by the EURO 5 standard, which comes into effect only in 2008. The new liquid gas engines have been installed in Vienna Lines buses ever since the year 2005, and the company already has the world’s largest fleet of liquid gas powered buses.

24 natural gas filling stations by 2010

Wien Energie, another company belonging to Wiener Stadtwerke, is stepping up its natural gas offensive. Over the course of the last three years, the company has invested 3.5 million euros in natural gas filling stations in Vienna, as well as in its own fleet of natural gas powered vehicles. At the present time there are eight public and two company filling stations with natural gas. Wien Energie intends to invest a further nine million euros by the year 2010, and has plans for a total of 24 public filling stations and five company ones.


Further information: Vienna’s “Spirit”

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