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The art of Vienna power plants

Vienna’s power plants not only provide energy, but are also a part of the city’s skyline, with their artistic and innovative design.

A popular photo spot in Vienna is the Spittelau Waste-to-Energy Plant, whose facade was redesigned by eco-architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser following a major fire in 1989 and adorned with his colorful, irregular structures. Since then, this former functional building has brought together the themes of waste, energy, and art in a fascinating way. In addition, by thermally processing approximately 250,000 metric tons of non-recyclable Viennese household waste annually, the plant reduces the demand for fossil fuels in the local district heating network. Thanks to a multi-stage flue gas cleaning system, the colorful tower emits very few pollutants into the air.

The Danube power plant at Freudenau is of interest to everyone who wants to know how electrical energy is produced from hydropower. As one of the most state-of-the-art hydroelectric power plants in the world, it supplies electricity to half of all homes in Vienna. More than 14,000 boats pass through the power plant's locks every year. These locks lift boats 10 meters almost imperceptibly in about 20 minutes.