Release of 31.08.2020
A1 Telekom Austria Group Announces Smart Boiler Solution at a Press Briefing during the European Forum Alpbach - A1 Energy Solutions support the energy turnaround
from left to right: Markus Lechleitner, Managing Director Alpenländische, Thomas Arnoldner, CEO A1 Telekom Austria Group, Climate Action Minister Leonore Gewessler, Martin Hagleitner, CEO Austria Email AG and Groupe Atlantic, Group Executive Board DACH Region
© A1/ APA Fotoservice Wolfgang Lackner
• Innovative smart hot water tanks cushion mains supply fluctuations
• Roll-out starts in Tyrol
• Digitalization as a central solution component for the energy industry
The energy sector is facing major challenges worldwide. Replacing fossil-fuelled power plants requires not only renewable energy sources, but also new ideas for regulating our energy system quickly and flexibly. This also includes the potential that every household can contribute to a stable power grid. Smart, innovative approaches are needed to balance out these fluctuations and to be able to meet the population's electricity needs at all times with sustainably produced energy.
Together with Austria Email, the market leader in hot water storage tanks, the A1 Energy Solutions division of the Austrian subsidiary A1 has developed a clean and sustainable solution to store production peaks of renewable energy and prevent excessive load on the grid.
The solution was presented together with the Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Leonore Gewessler, at the European Forum Alpbach.
"Sustainability has always been a high priority for our Group, and since this year the ESG* goals have also become a central component of our corporate strategy. In order to achieve the energy turnaround, a smart use of digital solutions is required. Innovative ideas that add value for the economy and the environment are more in demand than ever before. With the smart boilers made in Austria we are also focusing on the most environmentally friendly storage medium of all: water", emphasizes Thomas Arnoldner, CEO A1 Telekom Austria Group.
“Climate protection is the big question of our time. Together we have the power to ensure a good life on our planet. The government has therefore set a target of 100% renewable electricity by 2030. This requires states and municipalities, as well as the economy and citizens to be onboard. The smart boiler from A1 and Austria Email shows us how much innovation is in our companies, how many innovative solutions are already available, and how we can become pioneers in the development of the best products of the future and become economically successful. The great thing about it is that citizens become an active part of the energy turnaround by making their own household a part of it", says Leonore Gewessler, Minister for Climate Action.
Martin Hagleitner, CEO of Austria Email AG and Groupe Atlantic, Group Executive Board DACH Region: "Until recently, the potential of modern hot water and heating technology in coping with the climate and economic crisis was underestimated. With a new jointly developed technology from domestic production, we can directly involve thousands of households in the energy turnaround. Following successful field tests, the rollout of a pilot series for Tyrol is planned for autumn 2020. As an additional benefit to the smart technology, households can reduce their operating costs".
Markus Lechleitner, Managing Director Alpenländische, explains:"Alpenländische is Austria's non-profit housing developer with the most climate-active certifications. The heat pump cascade for heating and hot water supply was also co-developed by the Alpenländische and is used with great success in new buildings. The renovation of a residential building from the 1970s in Völs near Innsbruck to passive house standard in best partnership with TIWAG and Austria Email will be a model project for future renovation projects of the Alpenländische in Tyrol and Vorarlberg".
Smart hot water tanks for sustainability and comfort
Smart hot water storage tanks offer a new approach that ideally combines convenience and sustainability: If there is more electricity available in the network than currently being used, the boiler is activated by the integrated IoT module via mobile communications, which heats water inside. If there is too little electricity available, less electricity has to be used for the processing of hot water. To ensure comfort, the device can also be fully heated up manually at the push of a button if there is an increased demand for hot water.
The approximately 650,000 hot water boilers used throughout Austria thus represent a usable storage potential of about 1.2 TWh. This corresponds to the peak energy of around 225 wind turbines.
The first pilot housing estate of the Alpenländische non-profit housing association in cooperation with TIWAG in Völs has already been in operation since 2019 and initial successes have already been achieved through intelligent management. In the next step, TIWAG, Alpenländische together with A1 and Austria Email are planning the rollout of a pilot series of 250 units in Tyrol, which is to start in autumn 2020.
World-Direct, a 100% A1 subsidiary, has been working intensively on the digitalization of the energy sector since 2013, creating innovative solutions with A1 Energy Solutions and is working on their further development.
Through networking with municipal utilities, energy suppliers and other market participants from the industry, various trends have been identified that will have an influence on markets, their participants and existing business models in the future.
About World-Direct
World-Direct develops software and operates IT infrastructure for the medical, energy, real estate, financial, telecommunications and public sectors. Together with the parent company A1 and cooperation partners, new solutions for a digital future are created.
About the European Forum Alpbach
The European Forum Alpbach is an interdisciplinary platform for science, politics, business and culture. Established in 1945, the annual European Forum Alpbach and our events throughout the year address the relevant socio-political questions of our time.
We connect international decision-makers with an interested audience from all sectors of society and committed young people. Our goal is to create a dialogue across the generational, ideological and other lines that divide us.
In its 75th year of existence, the European Forum Alpbach had to completely reinvent itself. This year for the first time, the Forum will be a 12-day online conference. We will receive inputs from partner organisations all over the world. Together we will discuss the restart of our societies after the pandemic and the fundamentals of our future.
https://2020.alpbach.org/about
* ESG - Environmental, Social & Corporate Governance
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