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VERBUND AG

VERBUND

VERBUND is Austria's leading electricity company and one of Europe's largest hydropower producers, generating over 95% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG and

12 Dec 2025 · Energiepolitik

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

26 Sept 2025 · Energy policy

Meeting with Anna Stürgkh (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Jul 2025 · General Exchange

Meeting with Magnus Brunner (Commissioner)

25 May 2025 · Security in the energy sector, skilled labour

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V. and

23 May 2025 · EU Energiepolitik

Meeting with Anna Stürgkh (Member of the European Parliament)

19 May 2025 · General exchange

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

24 Jan 2025 · Energiepolitik

Meeting with Günther Sidl (Member of the European Parliament) and WIENER STADTWERKE GmbH and Österreichs E-Wirtschaft

16 Jan 2025 · General Exchange of Views

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Nov 2024 · Exchange on Expectations on the new European Parliament and EU Commission (Energy Policy, Grids, Energy Market Design)

Meeting with Hannes Heide (Member of the European Parliament)

7 Nov 2024 · Annual evening reception

VERBUND urges fair competition between low-carbon and renewable hydrogen

25 Oct 2024
Topic — This consultation defines the methodology for calculating greenhouse gas savings for low-carbon fuels.
Message — VERBUND calls for a level playing field between low-carbon hydrogen and renewable fuels. They request more flexible electricity sourcing rules and an earlier regulatory review by 2025.123
Why — Relaxed sourcing rules would lower production costs and improve the use of their equipment.45
Impact — Renewable hydrogen developers lose market share to cheaper, non-renewable low-carbon alternatives.6
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Meeting with Angelika Winzig (Member of the European Parliament) and WIENER STADTWERKE GmbH and Österreichs E-Wirtschaft

25 Sept 2024 · Meeting with representatives of Österreichs Energie, Wiener Stadtwerke and Verbund

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and RWE AG and

13 Sept 2024 · Energiepolitik - allgemein

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament) and #SustainablePublicAffairs

16 Jul 2024 · Expectations on the new European Parliament and EU Commission (EU Industry Policy, Global Trade, Green Deal, Energy Policy)

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and ENGIE and

11 Jul 2024 · Energiepolitik allgemein

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V. and

31 May 2024 · Energiepolitik allgemein

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V. and

26 Jan 2024 · Energiepolitik allgemein

Meeting with Claudia Gamon (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Jan 2024 · Introductory Meeting of new head of office

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament) and BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V. and

12 Jan 2024 · Exchange on industrial and energy policy

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament) and BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V. and

8 Dec 2023 · Exchange on energy policy

Meeting with Johannes Hahn (Commissioner) and

24 May 2023 · Current developments in the energy market

Meeting with Ruud Kempener (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson), Stefano Grassi (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

24 May 2023 · EMD reform proposal & renewable hydrogen

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE and

4 May 2023 · Presentation of new business group

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

4 May 2023 · Importance of hydropower in ensuring electricity system flexibility; The application of the electricity market reform to hydropower; How to strengthen the visibility of hydropower as one of the key sources of renewable energy.

Meeting with Claudia Gamon (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Amprion GmbH and Austrian Power Grid AG

25 Apr 2023 · Electricity Market Design

Meeting with Thor-Sten Vertmann (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

8 Nov 2022 · - Renewable Hydrogen - Electricity market design

Meeting with Claudia Gamon (Member of the European Parliament)

8 Nov 2022 · Meeting on energy

Meeting with Barbara Herbolzheimer (Cabinet of Commissioner Johannes Hahn), David Mueller (Cabinet of Commissioner Johannes Hahn)

8 Nov 2022 · Current economic developments

Meeting with Günther Sidl (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Jul 2022 · General Exchange of View; staff level

Meeting with Claudia Gamon (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Jun 2022 · Meeting on Energy-Unbundling

Meeting with Claudia Gamon (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Wirtschaftskammer Österreich and

15 Jun 2022 · Gas & Hydrogen Package

Meeting with Claudia Gamon (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Climate Action Network Europe and Agora Think Tanks gGmbH

4 May 2022 · Gas & Hydrogen Package

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and OMV Aktiengesellschaft and

11 Apr 2022 · REPowerEU; Security of energy supplies; Energy transition

Response to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy

16 Dec 2020

VERBUND begrüßt die Initiative des Europäischen Gesetzgebers zur Erstellung einer grund-legenden Taxonomie für nachhaltige Wirtschaftsaktivitäten. Dies insbesondere vor dem Hintergrund, dass VERBUND bereits 2014 eine grüne Anleihe begab, wodurch VERBUND zu den Pionieren des nachhaltigen Finanzwesens gehört. Zu Annex I „Climate Change Mitigation Criteria“ – Abschnitt 4.5 „Electricity generation from hydropower” – “Do no significant harm”-Kriterien (‘DNHS-Kriterien’) (S. 105 ff.) Im Abschnitt zur Stromerzeugung aus Wasserkraft wird im Gegensatz zu anderen erneuerbaren Stromerzeugungstechnologien mit aquatischen und/oder marinen Umwelt-einflüssen (z. B. Off-Shore Wind und Meeresenergie) beim DNHS-Kriterium (3) „Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources“ nicht auf die bestehende EU-Umwelt-gesetzgebung verwiesen. Stattdessen findet sich im DNHS-Kriterium (3) zur Strom¬erzeugung aus Wasserkraft eine detaillierte Auflistung der zu erfüllenden Umweltvorgaben, in der teils undefinierte, teils neue Umweltvorgaben ohne Rechtsgrundlage zu finden sind. Für die Stromerzeugung aus Wind und Meeresenergie (Annex I, Abschnitte 4.3 und 4.4) wird für das DNHS-Kriterium (3) entsprechend auf die Meeresstrategie-Rahmenrichtlinie (2008/56/EC) verwiesen. Weshalb für die Stromerzeugung aus Wasserkraft nicht gleicher-maßen auf die Wasserrahmenrichtlinie (Richtlinie 2000/60/EG) sowie weitere adäquate EU-Rechtsvorschriften hingewiesen wird, was aus unserer Sicht konsequent wäre, wird im Entwurf des Delegierten Rechtsaktes nicht erläutert. VERBUND plädiert für eine Gleichbehandlung aller erneuerbarer Stromerzeugungs-technologien und folglich dafür, den aktuellen Inhalt des DNHS-Kriteriums (3) durch einen Verweis auf die Wasserrahmenrichtlinie, sowie wenn notwendig auf andere bestehende gesetzliche Rahmenbedingungen, zu ersetzen. Zu Annex I „Climate Change Mitigation Criteria“ – Abschnitt 4.5 „Electricity generation from hydropower” – “Substantial contribution to climate change mitigation” (S. 105) Für die Stromerzeugung aus Wasserkraft sieht der Entwurf des delegierten Rechtsaktes eine verpflichtende Lebenszyklusanalyse der Treibhausgasemissionen von Wasserkraftwerken und von Mixed Pumped Hydropower Storage oder das Überschreiten des Energiedichte-Grenzwertes von 5 W/m2 vor. Dieser Grenzwert zur Energiedichte setzt die installierte Leistung des jeweiligen Kraftwerks in Verhältnis zur Oberfläche seines Wasserreservoirs und soll einen Näherungswert für potenzielle Methanemissionen aus Wasserkraftwerken abbilden. Da Methanemissionen aus Reservoiren hauptsächlich in Verbindung mit neu gebauten Wasserreservoirs in tropischen Gebieten auftreten, wo große Flächen mit dichter Vegetation überflutet werden, sehen wir in Europa weder die Notwendigkeit noch die Sinnhaftigkeit eines solchen Grenzwertes. Obwohl nur eine Minderheit von Anlagen von dem Grenzwert betroffen wäre, läge die Beweislast für die Erfüllung des Grenzwerts gleichermaßen bei allen Anlagenbetreibern. Hinzu kommt, dass der Entwurf des Delegierten Rechtsakts keine Berechnungsmethodologie für den Grenzwert enthält. Die Intention des Grenzwerts steht demnach nicht im Verhältnis zur zusätzlichen Belastung und Unsicherheit die für Betreiber von Wasserkraftwerken entsteht. Des Weiteren zeigt sich in verschiedenen statistischen Erhebungen, wie z.B. des UN IPCC oder der International Hydropower Association (IHA), dass die Lebenszyklusemissionen der Wasserkraft im weltweiten Schnitt bei 18g CO2/kWh liegen und sie damit neben der Stromerzeugung aus Windkraft, deren Ausstoß bei 12g CO2/kWh liegt, zu den saubersten Stromerzeugungstechnologien gehört VERBUND spricht sich deshalb für eine Gleichbehandlung der drei wichtigsten Erneuerbaren Erzeugungstechnologien aus, indem bei der Wasserkraft, so wie auch bei der Stromerzeugung aus Wind- und Solarenergie, die Analyse der Lebenszyklusemissionen und folglich auch der damit zusammenhängende Energiedichte-Grenzwert von 5 W/m2 gestrichen wird.
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Response to Revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001

21 Sept 2020

VERBUND welcomes the Commission’s intention to revise the Renewable Energy Directive. In the Commission’s consultation on a potential revision of the 2030 climate target, VERBUND already spoke out in favour of an ambitious upward revision to at least 55% CO2-savings until 2030. In order to meet this target ambition the 2030 energy targets would need to be adapted accordingly. Based on the difficulties to attain the 2020 energy efficiency target we believe that a majority of the contribution for the additional CO2-savings must be made by building out more renewables and fostering their end-user uptake. However, only increasing the targets will not be sufficient. Due to the fast-paced developments in e.g. the hydrogen sector it will be also necessary to amend the renewable energy directive. Furthermore, these regulatory measures need to be accompanied by non-legislative measures such as information campaigns and trainings. Thus, VERBUND favours Option 5 of the Inception Impact Assessment, which includes raising the ambition, amending the REDII and deploying non-regulatory measures. In addition to this general policy preference VERBUND would also like to point to some concrete regulatory opportunities that might be considered when revising the existing REDII. You can find these recommendations in the attached PDF-document.
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Response to A EU hydrogen strategy

8 Jun 2020

VERBUND is Austria's largest renewable electricity producer. We welcome the European Commission's plans to publish a dedicated Hydrogen Strategy. VERBUND believes that clean hydrogen will play an important role in decarbonising the energy and transport sectors as well as industrial processes until 2050. However, in order to trigger the market uptake of hydrogen it will be key to create the right regulatory and market framework. Please find attached our detailed consultation feedback.
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Meeting with David Mueller (Cabinet of Commissioner Johannes Hahn)

23 Jan 2020 · Green Deal Priorities

Response to Carbon Leakage List 2021 - 2030

31 Dec 2018

VERBUND appreciates the possibility to comment on the draft Commission decision determining a list of sectors and subsectors which are deemed to be at risk of carbon leakage. VERBUND is Austria’s largest electricity generator. 95% of our generation stems from renewable energy sources. In order to expand our value chain, VERBUND is active in the production of green hydrogen, i.e. hydrogen produced via electrolysis with renewable electricity. We are convinced that green hydrogen will play a major role in decarbonising the European economy, particularly the industrial sector as well as the transport sector. In light of the ambitious decarbonisation scenarios for 2050 presented by the European commission, VERBUND would like to draw the Commission’s attention to the fact that the production of conventional hydrogen using natural gas is included in the proposed carbon leakage list for 2021 – 2030. This implies that producers of conventional hydrogen will receive free certificates, while at the same time, an equivalent CO2-free production process (electrolysis of renewable electricity) is already available. While electrolysis is undoubtedly currently more expensive than conventional hydrogen generation, the inclusion of the production of conventional hydrogen in the carbon leakage list puts an additional and unnecessary competitive disadvantage on green hydrogen. In order to allow green hydrogen to play a substantial role in the decarbonisation, all measures which deteriorate the competitiveness of green hydrogen need to be avoided. Hence, we note that the carbon leakage list should reflect the fact that alternative CO2 free production processes for hydrogen are already available today.
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Meeting with Christian Linder (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

27 Feb 2017 · oesterreichische Energiethemen

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

1 Sept 2016 · decarbonisation

Meeting with Joachim Balke (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

19 Oct 2015 · Internal Energy market

Meeting with Christian Linder (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

14 Sept 2015 · Hydropower; Energy Union

Meeting with Miguel Arias Cañete (Commissioner) and

23 Jun 2015 · Internal Electricity Market

Meeting with Christian Linder (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič) and TenneT Holding B.V. and

11 Feb 2015 · Energy Union

Meeting with Joachim Balke (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

18 Dec 2014 · Verbund

Meeting with Markus Schulte (Digital Economy) and RTE Réseau de transport d'électricité and

3 Dec 2014 · Smart Grids

Meeting with Michael Karnitschnig (Cabinet of Vice-President Johannes Hahn)

12 Nov 2014 · Energy issues in the EU