First Roland Langthaler Prize 2025 awarded to Matthias Salomon

The prize, launched in 2025 by Oesterreichs Energie und VERBUND, was awarded to Matthias Salomon, a PhD student at the Wegener Centre for Climate and Global Change at the University of Graz by Barbara Schmidt, General Secretary of Oesterreichs Energie, and Michael Strugl, CEO of VERBUND, during the INSPIRE energy summits. The prize, which comes with a 5,000 euro voucher for the Oesterreichs-Energie-Akademie, pays tribute to outstanding strategies, initiatives and solutions in the energy area that are characterised by fairness, responsibility and foresight.

A holistic view of the challenges and their solutions

Matthias Salomon is a PhD student and scientific staff member of the EconClim research group at the Wegener Centre for Climate and Global Change at the University of Graz. He conducts research on the socioeconomic aspects of climate and environmental change, with a focus on adaptation and mitigation strategies. His work focuses on Austria in the European and global context. In his submission for the first Roland Langthaler Prize, Matthias Salomon provides a comprehensive overview of the current challenges and captivates with insights from various projects, initiatives and scientific work. Solomon’s key message is that there is no "silver bullet" solution, but rather, a differentiated, coordinated mix of measures is required. Solomon gets to the heart of the complexity of these challenges. Furthermore, his work shows how the Austrian energy market can both maintain competitiveness while achieving climate objectives: the e-economy can contribute to economic stabilisation in the short term, for example by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. In the medium and long-term, innovation, market structure reforms, training initiatives and playing an active role in the social transformation are necessary to both advance the energy transition and strengthen competitiveness.

Michael Strugl, CEO of VERBUND: "The Roland Langthaler Prize recognises outstanding strategies, initiatives and solutions in the energy area that are characterised by fairness, responsibility and foresight. Matthias Salomon’s submission stands out for its holistic approach and clear solutions. Right now, in the midst of our energy system’s transformation, we need sound analyses and innovative approaches to solve the challenges of our time."

Barbara Schmidt, General Secretary of Oesterreichs Energie, stressed at the award ceremony: "Matthias Salomon impressively demonstrates how climate change mitigation and competitiveness can go hand in hand. His work combines practical solutions with scientific foundations and makes it clear that we can only successfully shape the transition to clean energy with a broad mix of measures. His vision and sense of responsibility are fully in line with Roland Langthaler – making him a worthy first winner of the prize."

About the Roland Langthaler Prize

Roland Langthaler shaped the Austrian energy market with great dedication, expertise and enthusiasm, both at the national and European level. His work was characterised by vision, fairness and a solution-orientated, collaborative attitude. The Roland Langthaler Prize continues to uphold his ideals and principles and represents a fact-based, respectable interest group in the energy market that is open to compromise.