Various solutions are possible for the unobstructed transit of power plants.
Biodiversity
VERBUND does its part for environmental protection and takes measures to keep and enhance biodiversityÂ
Conservation and diversity
A vast biodiversity of animals and plants ist especially important for a thriving environment. To safeguard and improve biodiversity VERBUND invests in environmental protection and in ecological measures. Expenditure of around 280 million euros is anticipated until 2027 for land restoration measures and the creation of river continuity projects.
Restoring the continuity of major rivers is one of the key objectives of the European Water Framework Directive. We fulfil this, wherever possible, through new, near-natural accompanying waterbodies. Not only fish, but also all organisms in and around the habitat of water benefit from fish bypasses and from the many bypass arms. These species can overcome barrages and continue their migration through fish bypasses. We are developing additional habitats along our watercourses and creating places of retreat for rare plant and animal species like amphibians, insects and birds. Restructuring measures and morphological alterations include for example the establishment of shallow water zones and additional side channels. Thus, we pay attention to linking new measures with existing projects, in order to generate synergies.
Experts regularly carry out ornithological monitoring at our wind parks in order to investigate the effects on the habitat and the breeding behaviour of various bird species. We implement measures and create biotopes for animal protection along transmission lines.
Successful species protection projects include the promotion of bird species such as the great bustard, saker falcon, hoopoe or Ural owl. Biotope protection projects focus on transmission routes in forests which are popular retreats, breeding sites or feeding grounds for animals such as birds, insects or mammals. These areas can also be valuable habitats for rare and endangered plant species. In intensively used agricultural areas, the areas under the poles are specially designed, so that they can serve as a refuge for many plants and animals
Fish passes
Environmental partner projects at VERBUND
LIFE+ partner projects at VERBUND
Projects and measures
VERBUND provides a selection of the projects and measures for the protection of biodiversity here in an overview.
Name of project/measure; link to information* | Type | Area | Habitat | Fauna/Flora | additional information 2 | Species** | GRI-Disclosure |
Fish pass hydro power plant Gries | Fish pass | Salzach | |
Press release 6/2019 | 304-3 |
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Fish pass Kraftwerk Edling - Völkermarkter Stausee 2 |
Fish pass |
Drava | |
304-3 |
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Fish pass hydro power plant Annabrücke 2 | Fish pass | Drava | |
|
Hydro power plant Annabrücke |
304-3 | |
Fish pass hydro power plant Garsten | Fish pass | Enns | |
|
Hydro power plant Garsten |
304-3 |
|
Fish pass hydro power plant Staning |
Fish pass |
Enns | |
|
304-3 |
||
Fish pass hydro power plant Graz | Fish pass | Mur | |
|
Hydro power plant Graz-Puntigam | 304-3 |
|
Structuring Stauraum Abwinden-Asten 2 | Morphologic improvement | Danube | |
|
304-3 |
||
Fish pass Abwinden-Asten 2 | Fish pass | Danube | |
|
304-3 |
||
Fish pass hydro power plant Altenwörth 2 | Fish pass | Danube | |
|
304-3 |
||
Fish pass hydro power plant Feldkirchen | Fish pass | Inn | |
|
Hydro power plant Feldkirchen | 304-3 |
|
Fish pass hydro power plant Lebring | Fish pass | Mur | |
|
Hydro power plant Lebring | 304-3 |
|
Fish pass hydro power plant Stammham | Fish pass |
Inn | |
|
Hydro power plant Stammham | 304-3 | |
Fish pass hydro power plant Perach |
Fish pass |
Inn |
|
|
Hydro power plant Perach | 304-3 |
|
Fish pass hydro power plant Wasserburg |
Fish pass |
Inn | |
|
Hydro power plant Wasserburg | 304-3 |
|
Structuring Stauraum hydro power plant Ering-Frauenstein | Morphologic improvement | Inn |
|
|
Hydro power plant Ering | 304-3 |
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Fish pass hydro power plant Ering-Frauenstein | Fish pass | Inn |
|
|
304-3 |
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Habitat-improving measures for protection of fish populations | other ecological measures |
Inn | |
|
Article in "Auenmagazin"1,2 | 304-3 |
|
Fish stock monitoring with video | other ecological measures | Drava | |
|
Video: Fishmonitoring | 304-3 |
|
Sustainable Rivermanagement | Research | |
|
304-3 |
|||
Huchen - Danube salmon - Homing |
other ecological measure | Danube | |
|
Video: Huchen catching at the Traisen | Huchen (EN) |
304-3 |
Ornithologic monitoring Windpark Petronell-Carnuntum | Offset habitat | Wind | |
|
Little owl (EN) Imperial eagle (CR) |
EU13 | |
Monitoring offset habitats Windpark Hollern II |
Offset habitat | Wind | |
|
Grey partridge (VU) |
EU13 | |
Species conservation saker falcon2 | Promoting biodiversity | Power Grid | |
|
Saker falcon (CR) | 304-3 |
|
Species conservation Eurasian hoopoe2 | Promoting biodiversity | Power Grid | |
|
Eurasian hoopoe (CR) | 304-3 |
* Link to information contains descriptions of VERBUND projects extracted from "Implemented measures of Austrian hydropower within the framework of the national water management plans"; Publisher: Österreichs E-Wirtschaft
** Project for protection of certain species in brackets: specification of endangerment according to red data book
CR ... Critically endangered, EN ... Endangered, VU ... Vulnerable , NT ... Near Threatened
1 Extract from "Auenmagazin 11/2017 - Magazin des Auenzentrums Neuburg a. d. Donau in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Bayerischen Landesamt für Umwelt"
Website: www.auenzentrum-neuburg-ingolstadt.de (German only)
2 German only
If projects are subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the information is available on the public websites of the environmental authorities:
In Austria in the EIA documentation of the Austrian Federal Environment Agency (German only), e.g. the EIA decision (German only) for the LIFE+ Traisen project.
In Germany in the nationwide EIA database (German only) or the database of the German federal states (German only).
For further questions or if you would like to get information on project from previous years please send an email to sustainability@verbund.com.