← FFCheckElectricity & gasDE
Electricity & gas · Austria
Checked 2026-09-30

🏘️ Can I share solar power with neighbours or join an energy community in Austria?

The short answer

Energy sharing lets households use power produced by a shared installation, a neighbour or a community project. Whether and how it works depends on the national rules.

📜 The rules in Austria

Energy sharing and communities

From 1 October 2026 the ElWG lets every active customer share electricity on top of their normal supply contract: in a renewable energy community (EEG), a citizen energy community (BEG), a joint generation facility in the building (GEA) or peer-to-peer.

  • The participants must inform their grid operator about the sharing contract, the meter points involved, how the energy is split, and anyone joining or leaving. (ris.bka.gv.at)
  • You need a smart meter, and you must give the data release yourself in your grid operator's smart meter portal; an organiser cannot do this for you. Your own supplier contract stays unchanged. (energiegemeinschaften.gv.at)
  • Local communities share over the low-voltage grid, regional ones over the medium-voltage grid. According to the coordination office, new BEG and peer-to-peer models get reduced grid charges only from 1 January 2027. (energiegemeinschaften.gv.at)
Koordinationsstelle für EnergiegemeinschaftenOfficial information hub on energy communities and energy sharing, with templates, tools and a platform to find communities to join.🔗 energiegemeinschaften.gv.at
Official source: ris.bka.gv.at · Checked 2026-09-30

🪜 Step by step

  1. See what the rules allowThe options in Austria are listed below: sharing in one building, within a local area, or through an energy community.
  2. Find a project or partnersAsk your municipality, housing association or building owners whether a project exists or is planned.
  3. Check the meter and the contractSharing usually needs a smart meter and registration with the grid operator. Your normal supply contract continues for the rest of your use.
  4. Read the terms before you joinCheck the cost, how shared power is divided, and how you can leave.

📇 Who to contact

Koordinationsstelle für EnergiegemeinschaftenOfficial information hub on energy communities and energy sharing, with templates, tools and a platform to find communities to join.🔗 energiegemeinschaften.gv.at
E-Control (Energie-Control Austria)Supervises energy companies and explains your rightsFor information, and to report a company that breaks the rules📞 +43 1 24 7 24-0🔗 www.e-control.at

❓ Questions

Do I have to own solar panels?

No. In many schemes you can take part as a member or user without owning an installation.

Does my supplier stay the same?

Usually yes. The shared power is counted first and your supplier provides the rest.

Who registers the sharing?

Normally the grid operator or the body named on this page. Ask them before you start.

📎 Sources

Checked: 2026-09-30

🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Also useful

☀️Solar panels→🔗New or bigger connection→🔄Switching supplier→📈Price increase→🧾Wrong or high bill→

More help in Austria

All other problems: who handles whatWho do I contact?100+ things that go wrong — money, housing, work, safety, health, papers, government — and the one desk in Austria that actually handles each: phone, site, and what to say when they pick up.Before it goes wrongCan I?What is allowed, what is not, which permit you need — with the official source.Recognise it firstIs dit veilig?Check a phone number, website or message against 47,000 scam dossiers.