With the recent update on sensory and measurement equipment in households, communal buildings and small enterprises in the pilot region Großschönau, another important step has been taken towards starting data measurements for the project’s simulations. In this demo region, the project aims to demonstrate local market designs and also to provide insights on coupling energy carriers based on district heating. The main objective is to increase local electricity consumption by implementing a distance-dependent price scheme (more expensive for other substations). It is expected that this implementation helps to increase local RES consumption and gain insights into the interdependence of LEC grid tariffs.
This pilot region Großschönau is located in lower Austria in the region of Waldviertel. It consists of 13 villages and has a total population of 1200 inhabitants. This municipality represents a rural area in Central Europe, without connection to higher traffic infrastructure and without a significant amount of industrial activity. Most of the buildings in the municipality are residential buildings, small commercial units like farms, craftsmen, local services, banks, and doctors as well as municipality buildings.
The Municipality Großschönau and its inhabitants share already a long history of community engagement in sustainable projects to strengthen the region and its local economy. Sonnenplatz Großschönau plays a central role in these projects as a research and innovation centre, as well as an information and education hub through courses and their permanent exhibition “Sonnenwelt”. Also in the project Beyond, Sonnenplatz Großschönau coordinates this demo with the support of Großschönau Municipality, entrepreneurs, residents, utility provider as well as the Austrian project partners from best connect, eFriends Energy, FH Technikum Wien, Forschung Burgenland, MOOSMOAR Energies, ms.GIS and TU Wien.
With the technical measurements set in place, the next steps are focusing on information and involvement of the various local stakeholders, such as consumer (only electricity consumption) and prosumer (Power consumption and PV generation) households with families or retired persons, as well as hotels, a restaurant, a supermarket, the seminar centre, tourist information, and a dairy farm.
At the pilot site Großschönau in Austria, an informational poster providing details to the ongoing BEYOND project was installed in a prominent place. All inhabitants of the community are invited to contact the local partner Sonnenplatz Großschönau to receive further information about the project, how they can be proactive, and personally benefit from local electricity markets.
