GreenAir expands to Austria

We are delighted to announce that GreenAir is now also active in Austria!  

Since 01.01.2023, the GHG quota for owners of e-vehicles and operators of charging facilities is also available in Austria! In this blog, we provide you with all the necessary and latest information to help you get the best premium on the market.  

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA   

Both Germany and Austria have implemented the EU directive and introduced the GHG premium to accelerate the transition to e-mobility. Nevertheless, the two countries regulate the process differently.  

Germany is pioneering work in creating incentives for electric vehicle owners and charging station operators. Since January 1, 2022, owners of e-vehicles, e-motorcycles and e-scooters can be financially rewarded for their contribution to reducing CO2 emissions through GHG quota trading. Applications for the 2023 quota year have been open since the beginning of the year. To be able to claim the GHG bonus, you simply need to be a private or commercial owner or keeper of a purely electrically powered vehicle (BEV) with a valid German registration certificate. There is no need for a special charging facility, nor is it necessary to keep records of electricity consumption. Instead, a flat rate per electric car is calculated annually depending on the vehicle type. This flat rate value does not change after it has been published once a year by the Federal Environment Agency and then applies to the quota year in question. 

In contrast to Germany, in Austria the lump-sum payments are paid out depending on the duration of the ownership (pro rata).  The exact amount of the GHG premium that can be paid out is currently uncertain, as certification and trading of the GHG quotas will not take place until 2024. Nevertheless, several factors indicate that the premium in Austria will significantly exceed the level in Germany. The premium calculation in both countries is based on taking into account the amount of CO2 emissions saved. This factor in turn depends on the composition of the electricity mix, in particular the proportion of renewable energies, which is published once a year by the Federal Environment Agency.  

Austria has a higher share of renewable energy compared to Germany, which leads to an estimated CO2 saving of 1.5 tons per e-car in Austria in 2023, compared to 0.7 tons in Germany. In addition, the value of the GHG premium could increase further in the coming years due to the planned tightening of legislation in Austria for listed companies.  

This exciting development in Germany and Austria offers electric vehicle owners and charging station operators the opportunity to not only reduce their carbon footprint, but also to be financially rewarded for their environmentally conscious choices. These incentives are expected to play an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable transportation as the sustainable electric mobility transition gains momentum.