We are at Oesterreichs Energie Kongress 2026

On 16 and 17 September 2026 we are at Oesterreichs Energie Kongress at the Hofburg in Vienna, with a stand in the start-up row.

This year's congress marks 25 years of electricity market liberalisation in Austria. Seen from where we sit, that is above all a story about choices: switching supplier, picking between price models, joining an energy community. The ElWG added to that list again this year.

Two weeks after the congress, on 1 October, the ElWG provisions on citizen energy take effect and existing energy communities move into the new legal framework. Four days later the first P2P market processes are due to start, at first within a single grid area and across grid areas from April 2027. Electricity then passes directly from one participant to another, and a contract between the two sides is enough for that; it takes no energy community as a legal entity. None of that is on the official programme, though it will probably come up between sessions. What interests us there is the settlement: who measures, who allocates, who bills.

Two items on the programme are already in our calendar. "Preis und Wert von Strom", with E-Control, Statistics Austria and Energieallianz Austria, touches on how the price of electricity can be judged for one particular business. And at "Wie viel KI verträgt das Energiesystem?" we are curious how far the views on the panel diverge.

What we mainly want to take home are conversations. We know the data side from the engine room: consent processes, formats, and the quirks of more than 140 grid operators. What we lack is the view of the companies that have been running this market for 25 years. If you are at the congress and have a view on where access to consumption data still snags in practice, we would like to hear it.

Phillip Fickl is there both days. If you cannot make it and would still like to talk, you can reach us here.