Wind

At the Plöckenpaß on 1.360 m sea level – only a few meters before the Italian border - there is the unique wind power plant type ENERCON E-40. Before it was built in 1997 nobody has ever dared to establish wind power plant in such a high alpine climate zone. The location is very special because in this small area there meet different extreme weather conditions. Gusty winds with peaks of 140 km/h are no infrequence in the wintertime. Another speciality of this wind power plant is the rotor blade heating it is very important to safe them against ice. This wind power plant is the only one in Carinthia and on highest sea level in Austria. Since a few years two additional wind turbines (in the neighbourhood) have been planned but they still wait for permission.


Combination of wind- and waterpower
In “energy autarkic supply system Kötschach-Mauthen” there we find all forms of renewable energy and they are all connected with each other. For example the electricity of the wind power plant can be buffered in one of the alpine reservoirs to cover the peak load. This is only possible with a unique and very special regulation system.