Economic Linkages of Carinthia's Regional Energy Utility KELAG

This paper investigates the "economic system" presented by KELAG (Kärntner Elektrizitäts-Aktiengesellschaft), Carinthia's main regional energy provider. We take a closer look at two topics: the place of KELAG in the context of regional and national value chains; and a regionalisation of the energy balance against the national average. With around 1.1 percent of all employees, Carinthia's energy sector is the largest of all regional energy sectors in Austria as a share of employment. Also, with a close-to 100 percent share of renewable energy generation, it is one of the "most sustainable". This paper attempts to locate KELAG within the regional energy sector as well as the regional economic system in general. The first part of the paper investigates the regional linkages of KELAG, which directly employs around 1,600 staff, making it the largest employer in Carinthia. A regional analysis of Carinthia's energy balance market completes the paper.