Successful national and international projects.

Sustainable heating for a hreener future of Hotel Der Löwe

Leogang’s Mountain Hotel Adopts Green Heating Solution

Climate Austria supports the family-run mountain hotel in Salzburg in its transition to climate-friendly heating. By using an electrically powered heat pump that draws energy from ambient environmental heat, the hotel reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 380 tons over its entire service life. This initiative actively contributes to making regional tourism more sustainable.

In addition, the eco-certified hotel implements further environmentally friendly measures, including a photovoltaic system, the use of thermal energy from the local district heating network, a modern e-mobility infrastructure, and energy-efficient construction. The project is being carried out in the federal state of Salzburg.

The family-run hotel is nestled between the Leoganger Steinberge and the Kitzbühel Alps and caters primarily to nature-loving wellness and active holidaymakers.

Sustainability and Environmental Awareness | Hotel Der Löwe

Obdach Wien advances climate protection with LED lighting upgrade

Obdach Wien increases energy efficiency with modern LED lighting and contributes to climate protection.

Climate Austria supports Obdach Wien gemeinnützige GmbH in converting conventional lighting systems to modern, energy-efficient LED solutions. Obdach Wien is a social institution of the City of Vienna that assists people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through a wide range of services, including emergency shelters, transitional housing, and assisted living. The LED retrofit not only significantly reduces electricity consumption but also lowers CO₂ emissions — a tangible contribution to climate protection and improved energy efficiency in the social sector.

Image rights: Copyright © 2023 New Africa/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

Vorderötscher Shelter invests in solar power for a sustainable future

With its expanded photovoltaic system, the Vorderötscher mountain shelter now uses solar energy in a climate-friendly way as part of its off-grid alpine operation.

Climate Austria is supporting the Vorderötscher mountain shelter in the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park in Lower Austria with the expansion of its photovoltaic system to ensure a sustainable and climate-friendly energy supply. The shelter operates off-grid, without connection to the public power network.

Idyllically located in the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park, the shelter is a popular starting point for hikes through the Ötschergräben gorge or up to the Ötscher summit. By harnessing solar energy, CO₂ emissions are significantly reduced and dependence on fossil fuels is minimized — a vital contribution to climate protection in sensitive alpine regions.

Image rights: Copyright © Ötscher Tormäuer GmbH

Switching to district heating: Sustainable energy for Lebenshilfe Upper Austria

Lebenshilfe Upper Austria significantly reduces CO₂ emissions in a residential facility by switching to district heating.

Climate Austria is supporting Lebenshilfe Upper Austria in converting one of its fully assisted living facilities from an oil-based heating system to a modern district heating connection. The non-profit organization is dedicated to supporting people with intellectual disabilities across Upper Austria and operates numerous residential and care facilities.

By switching to district heating, the facility significantly reduces its CO₂ emissions, making an important contribution to climate protection.

Image rights: Copyright © 2024 FooTToo/Shutterstock. No use without permission.

Funding the energy transition through wind power in El Salvador

This project supports the construction of a wind farm in the municipality of Metapán in the north-west of El Salvador.

In 2019, over two-thirds of El Salvador's energy supply relied on imported fossil fuels. This dependency not only made the country vulnerable to international price fluctuations but also left many households without access to electricity. 

The Ventus Wind Farm Project in the municipality of Metapán in northwestern El Salvador marks a significant step towards a renewable energy transition. The wind farm consists of 15 turbines that generate clean energy, meeting the needs of approximately 80,000 households. This reduces reliance on fossil fuels while making a substantial contribution to cutting CO₂ emissions in the energy sector. 

The project not only supports climate protection (SDG 13) but also advances sustainable energy (SDG 7) and decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) by creating 300 jobs for the local population.

Clean cookstoves in Rwanda

The project in the Rwandan districts of Kayonza, Bugesera and Nyamasheke aims to significantly reduce firewood consumption and thus greenhouse gas emissions by distributing improved cookstoves to households.

In Rwanda, biomass, primarily firewood, is the main energy source for many households, especially in rural areas. Traditional and inefficient cooking methods, such as open three-stone fires, are commonly used, leading to high firewood consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. 

A project in the Rwandan districts of Kayonza, Bugesera, and Nyamasheke addresses this issue: by distributing modern, efficient cookstoves, the demand for firewood is significantly reduced. This not only contributes to climate protection but also improves indoor air quality, benefiting the health of residents. Women and girls, in particular, gain from reduced time spent collecting firewood and cooking, which also lowers household expenses for fuel. 

The project supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): it contributes to better health (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), sustainable energy (SDG 7), and climate action (SDG 13). 

Safe drinking water in Zambia

The Safe Water project in the Central Province of Zambia, certified to the Gold Standard, aims to provide households with clean drinking water through the use of borehole technology.

In Zambia's rural regions, many communities rely on inefficient wood-burning stoves to treat water, a practice that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and accelerates deforestation. The Gold Standard-certified Safe Water Project in Central Province directly addresses this challenge, aiming to provide sustainable access to clean drinking water. Using modern borehole technologies and emission-free pump systems, including hand and solar pumps, the project significantly reduces the need for firewood, thereby lowering CO₂ emissions. 

A core focus of the initiative is the rehabilitation of damaged boreholes and the creation of new ones, with active involvement from local communities to ensure their long-term maintenance. Sustainability is a priority: boreholes are limited to a maximum depth of 100 meters to mitigate ecological and technical risks. By ensuring a reliable and clean water supply, this project not only supports environmental protection but also enhances the quality of life for communities in Zambia's rural areas.

Reforestation of mangrove forests in Pakistan

The Delta Blue Carbon project protects and restores mangrove forests in the Indus Delta in Pakistan.

The Delta Blue Carbon Project in Pakistan combines effective climate protection, biodiversity conservation, and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods. Covering 350,000 hectares in the Indus Delta, the project focuses on restoring degraded mangrove forests to counter decades of loss caused by firewood harvesting and overgrazing. These mangroves protect coastal areas from erosion, provide valuable ecological services such as supporting fisheries and habitats for endangered species, and play a crucial role in carbon storage. 

Over its planned 60-year lifespan, the project aims to remove more than 100 million tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere through mangrove restoration. Unlike many other projects in our portfolio, this is a nature-based carbon removal initiative that actively sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. 

The project also delivers significant socio-economic benefits, including job creation and improved livelihoods for local communities (SDG 1, 8). It promotes education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), and access to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6). Additionally, it contributes to responsible resource use (SDG 12), climate action (SDG 13), and the preservation of ecosystems on land (SDG 15). This comprehensive, nature-based initiative demonstrates how ecosystem protection and community well-being can go hand in hand.