Strong Interest at the Dialogue Forum in Pernegg

Last Sunday, the municipality of Pernegg hosted a dialogue forum on the future of energy. During in-depth discussions between the planning group, residents, the mayor, members of the municipal council, and moderators from GUSTA, positive aspects and critical concerns were openly addressed. The aim of the event was to deepen the shared level of knowledge and gather valuable input for the upcoming steps in the process. The exchange generated strong interest and was very well attended.

The planning workshop is deliberately designed as an intensive participation process: instead of a simple yes/no vote, a diverse planning group — independently moderated by GUSTA — is developing a well-founded basis for decision-making. Key topics include landscape and nature, energy and security of supply, benefits and participation, as well as quality of life and fairness. The results will lead to recommendations for the municipal council, which will then make further decisions based on these findings.

With the many insights gathered at the dialogue forum, the planning group is now moving into its third workshop. Based on the input received, different planning scenarios will be evaluated using jointly defined criteria. Specific locations and the number of installations remain open at this stage. Technical experts from the participating operators — W.E.B, Windkraft Simonsfeld, and EVN Naturkraft — are currently developing various scenarios, complemented by visualizations from multiple perspectives. This approach is intended to ensure that decision-making processes remain transparent and easy to understand.

The developed scenarios will first be assessed within the planning workshop and then submitted to the municipal council as a basis for decision-making.

Climate economist Sigrid Stagl emphasizes: “Planning groups are more effective than simple yes/no surveys. Well-informed people can weigh options together and develop sustainable recommendations.”

Mayor Andreas Nendwich adds: “My thanks go to the planning group for many hours of intensive and constructive work. The only certainty about gas and oil is that they will lead to the next crisis. Especially in uncertain times, it is crucial to examine renewable energy locally in an objective, fair, and collaborative way — and then to move forward with implementation.”