The transformation of Austria's energy system towards climate neutrality presents a major challenge. Each transformation path is associated with different social, infrastructural, and technical challenges. In addition to purely technical aspects, this includes distribution effects in Austria, Europe, and globally; the role of economic growth (job security, loss of prosperity) in the transformation process; and the question of minimizing new infrastructures in terms of costs, risks, and consequences.

The working group reviews discussed transformation paths and, if necessary, develops new ones for Austria, documenting the advantages and disadvantages of these paths and making them accessible for evaluation. In these considerations, the integration of Austria into the European and global energy system is regarded as central. One focus lies on the holistic understanding of carbon cycles for a carbon-neutral energy system. This includes paths that introduce non-fossil carbon into the cycle, as well as those that focus on increased carbon storage. The consideration of negative carbon emissions is an important component of the working group’s activities.