Gasversorgung#

Gas Supply: In 1998 gas accounted for 23 % of Austria´s total energy consumption (1994: 15 %). The use of energy sources like gas and District Heating requires a network of mains, which is rather expensive; this is why it is not recommendable to install mains for both sources of energy in one area. Gas and district heating help reduce CO2 emissions (esp. in the case of cogeneration facilities).

Almost 100% of the gas consumed in Austria is natural gas, cracked gas/dual process gas, decomposition gases and liquefied petroleum gas are only minimal. Between 1997 and 1998 natural gas production rose by 4.6.% to 7790 million m of which 1568 million (20%) was extracted domestically. Austria imports a major share of its natural gas from Russia (88%), with 7% from Norway and 5% from Germany. The Landesferngasgesellschaften (utilities which are mainly owned by the provincial governments and which distribute gas to end-users) have a gas storage capacity with a working volume of approximately 2.630 million m 3, of which about 61% were filled as of December 31, 1998. Austrian gas supply companies invested 2.77 billion ATS in 1998, most of which was used for the enlargement and renewal of the distribution network.