Sustainable Hydroelectricity in South Tyrol

Name: schenna e.motion
Address: Erzherzog-Johann-Platz 1/D, Schenna, South Tyrol, 39017, IT
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Harnessing water power for a Green Future

South Tyrol is already a large producer of hydroelectric power, giving the province a head-start in self-sustaining electromobility. schenna.e.motion highlights a number of interesting facts relating to energy production in South Tyrol.

Interesting facts

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: With its numerous dams and water reservoirs, far-sighted energy management policies and efficient hydro-electrical power plants, South Tyrol has already proven itself as an effective player in the sustainable energy sector. Hydroelectric power is a key component in the much-vaunted transition towards a green energy future, and a large percentage of South Tyrol’s electricity requirements are covered by its own resources. Around 8,000 GWh of electrical energy are generated from renewable energy annually, and with the entire province only consuming around 2,900 GWh, this results in a large surplus.

The fact that sustainable electricity produced in South Tyrol far outweighs its consumption, this not only benefits the environment but has also emphasised the economic importance of the local energy sector. In recent decades, South Tyrol has transformed itself into a reliable and valued exporter of green energy, with more than half of its surplus electricity supplied to neighbouring regions in Northern Italy. Not only does South Tyrol contribute to the green transition in terms of its own requirements, but the advantage it enjoys is extended beyond its confines.
: It all began at the end of the 19th Century, when the first hydroelectric power plant became joined to the existent electricity grid at Mühlen in Taufers/Molini di Tures in the Pustertal Valley. Since those early days over 100 years ago, hydroelectrical power in South Tyrol has evolved into one of the chief energy resources in the region. No less than 16 major dams and around 100 smaller reservoirs provide a total of 112 million cubic metres of water for hydroelectric power generation. Reschensee lake, the largest of these, alone has a capacity of 112 million cubic metres of water, while the Neves reservoir, with its dam wall rising to 95 m, represents a major feat of engineering.

Nowadays, a total of 35 hydroelectrical power plants operate in the region just south of the Brenner/Brennero Pass, generating about 4,500 GWh of 100% green electricity per annum. This makes South Tyrol the third largest regional producer of hydroelectricity in Italy. Brixen/bressanone, where the turbulent Eisack torrent joins the Etsch river, is home to one of the largest hydroelectrical power plants in the southern Alps. South Tyrol’s largest hydroelectric plant is an example of how the power of water from these imposing mountains is harnessed in the quest for sustainably generated electricity.

schenna.e.motion provides all the salient facts about green energy production in South Tyrol. Learn how hydroelectric power plays a vital role in the green revolution!