From pioneer to driving force of the energy transition – IG Windkraft with new management team (ee-news.ch)

(PM) Personnel and organizational decisions at the Austrian wind energy association IG Windkraft: With Josef Plank, the association has had a new chairman since May 2024. Energy and climate expert Florian Maringer will take over the management in October. “We are looking forward to a good and successful collaboration to achieve our ambitious goals in the field of wind energy,” says chairman Josef Plank. Wind power should be supported in its role as a decisive factor for security of supply and the economy.

After 30 successful years, wind power has developed from a pioneering topic to the driving force of the energy transition. The Austrian wind energy industry now employs around 7,900 people and is active internationally in both energy generation and the supply industry. The domestic wind energy industry generated total sales of 1.74 billion euros in 2023, making it a stronger driver for the domestic economy. Wind energy secured around 12 percent of Austria's electricity consumption last year. Wind energy production is expected to triple by 2030.

New management will RolFurther strengthen the wind power sector
Wind energy is now working on shaping the next 30 years in order to strengthen its role as a decisive factor in security of supply and the economy. In this crucial phase, the Austrian Wind Energy Association has one of the most experienced energy experts, Florian Maringer, on board as managing director. After founding a citizens' initiative for wind power, he had already worked as an energy industry expert for IG Windkraft from 2011 to 2017. As managing director of the umbrella association Renewable Energy Austria (EEÖ), he reorganized the organization and worked in Vienna and Brussels as a board member in the Association of European Renewable Energies for the Energy Transition.

After several years in the Climate Protection Ministry, where Maringer was responsible for the Renewable Energy Expansion Act, climate protection and issues such as industrial transformation, he set up the first Austrian climate institute, Kontext, together with Katharina Rogenhofer and Tina Deutsch and successfully positioned it after six months. “We are delighted that we were able to win Florian Maringer over.” “The unanimous board decision shows that wind energy is working together with ambitious goals to make its contribution to achieving energy targets and securing our energy supply,” says chairman Josef Plank. Florian Maringer explains: “The energy transition has picked up enormous speed worldwide and can no longer be stopped – that is the good news.” Austria is now faced with the challenge of not losing touch with the world leaders and of exploiting its pioneering work in wind power to create security and prosperity. Renewable energies are the backbone of our economy. We as the Austrian Wind Energy Association are the muscles that will strengthen this backbone day by day.”

Industry representation forr Austrian wind power
IG Windkraft, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, is the interest group for the entire Austrian wind industry. Operators of around 95 percent of the wind power capacity installed in Austria are members of the association. In addition, there are numerous companies from the service and supply industry, well-known plant manufacturers and promoters of wind power. IG Windkraft is committed to the rapid and environmentally friendly expansion of wind power, provides information and advice on the subject of wind power and networks stakeholders in Austria and internationally. Wind power plays a crucial role in achieving energy and climate goals and, with an early generation of around 9 billion kilowatt hours, currently accounts for around 12 percent of electricity generation in Austria.

Text: IG Wind Power

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