Austria opened its third and final funding round of the year for photovoltaic systems and battery storage on Thursday afternoon. Demand was even higher than in the previous round, according to an announcement issued Friday by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism.

Preliminary figures show that around 43,300 application tickets were issued within 10 minutes of the opening of the Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG) funding portal, operated by funding agency OeMAG. By comparison, the second funding round in the summer attracted 24,900 tickets in its first 10 minutes.

The ministry said it had anticipated strong demand based on previous funding rounds. The experience has also prompted the government to reconsider its approach to PV subsidies.

Earlier this week, the ministry presented initial proposals for a revised funding scheme following extensive consultations with representatives of the electrical engineering industry, electrical retailers and industry association PV&B Austria.

“We need to move away from a race against the clock and toward a subsidy system that allows individuals and businesses to plan effectively,” said Elisabeth Zehetner, Austria’s state secretary for energy.

Under the proposed scheme, applicants would be able to submit funding requests together with their final invoices after completing their projects, starting in 2027.

Applications would be accepted year-round, replacing the current system of three annual funding windows in which applicants compete to secure funding on a first-come, first-served basis.

The ministry also plans to replace conventional investment grants with a battery storage bonus. The new scheme would prioritize battery storage systems installed alongside new or existing PV arrays, provided they are connected to a smart energy management system.

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