During his visit, Stefan Kaineder, State Councillor for the Environment and Climate, learnt first-hand about strategies and solutions for a secure, clean and affordable energy supply.
Alina Mirwald, EWS shareholder: "We are delighted about the growing political interest: The demand for a regional, secure and clean energy supply is growing steadily, energy independence is more significant than ever. That is why we have doubled our team in recent years so that we can also supply our customers quickly. What we need now: The full support of all political groups so that together we can implement the best solution for our country ."
The EWS Sonnenfeld in the municipality of Pischelsdorf am Engelbach is a good example of how regional solutions can drive forward the energy transition and strengthen rural areas at the same time. Since April 2025, the Agri-PV plant has successfully combined clean solar power production with agricultural use and is considered a showcase project for innovative dual use in Upper Austria. At the same time, 80 per cent of the area remains arable, biodiversity strips provide space for the regional flora and fauna to flourish and soil sealing is reduced to a minimum.
The plant with over 7.500 modules generates around 5.9 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year - enough for more than 1,600 households - and saves over 114,000 tonnes of CO₂ in the long term.
"Projects like this show that climate protection and agriculture are not mutually exclusive. Agri-photovoltaic plants such as the EWS Sonnenfeld in Pischelsdorf enable clean energy production, secure valuable agricultural land and create additional sources of income for our farmers. This is a decisive step towards a sustainable and regional energy future in Upper Austria", emphasises Stefan Kaineder, Provincial Councillor for the Environment and Climate.
Added value for us people, the businesses and the region
The EWS team is working intensively with partners to achieve greater independence from fossil fuels from warring oil states and to create a stable, favourable power supply for the economy and population, with added value for and in the region.
"Our goal is clear: to cover the entire electricity demand in the Braunau district of 1.02 TWh/year - from industry, commerce and agriculture to households - with wind power, photovoltaics and storage at a regional level. We have the technology for this and we know how to realise it in an environmentally friendly way. We just have to let them do it!" adds Alina Mirwald with determination.
