Sustainable energy meets regional roots: Elisabeth Reinthaler, a graduate of the Tourism and Leisure Management master degree programme at IMC Krems, combines international expertise with a deep-rooted commitment to her home region. As Head of Project Development for photovoltaic power plants in Austria at oekostrom AG, she developed Upper Austria’s largest agri-PV project to date, located in St. Veit im Innkreis. The facility, spanning 8.5 hectares, merges with agricultural use with sustainable energy production and will supply around 2,500 households with green electricity from September 2025.
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A Pioneer in renewable energy from Upper Austria’s Innviertel region
An international education as a strong foundation
Her studies at IMC Krems, complemented by exchange semesters in Finland, Mexico and India, laid the groundwork for her international outlook. A postgraduate programme in Renewable Energy at TU Wien further deepened her technical knowledge. She has worked in the renewable energy sector for over 16 years and has been with oekostrom AG for nearly five of them.
Commitment beyond her career
Alongside her professional activities, Reinthaler served as a local councillor in Pressbaum, where she championed environmentally friendly mobility solutions—such as expanding cycling infrastructure and promoting bicycle usage. Her personal life is also shaped by sustainability: she uses an electric cargo bike to transport her children and is mindful of her household’s energy consumption.
A vision for a green future
With projects like the agri-PV plant in St. Veit, Elisabeth Reinthaler demonstrates how renewable energy production and agriculture can go hand in hand. Biodiversity zones are being created beneath the PV modules, while agricultural use between the panel rows continues. This dual approach not only boosts energy production but also supports ecological diversity.
“You can always make a difference - even if it sometimes feels like drilling through hard boards,” Elisabeth Reinthaler is convinced. Through her work and dedication, she makes a meaningful contribution to the energy transition and shows how sustainable development can be successfully implemented at the local level.
Elisabeth on her time at IMC Krems
In addition to the solid academic foundation, Elisabeth values the lifelong friendships that began in Krems around 20 years ago and continue to thrive to this day.