Saturday, 15 March 2025
Renewable energy sources (RES) in the Czech Republic produced 9.3 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity in 2024, marking an 11.5% increase compared to the previous year. Most of this energy was generated by photovoltaic power plants, which saw the most significant growth among renewable sources. Despite this increase, industry representatives indicate that the overall development of renewable energy remains slow, with solar energy being the only sector showing substantial progress, while others remain stagnant. According to data from the Chamber of Renewable Energy Sources, renewables now account for 16.5% of total electricity consumption. The Czech government aims to raise this share to 30% by 2030.
The expansion of renewable energy is primarily driven by new photovoltaic installations, which contributed nearly 3.6 GWh to the national grid in 2024, reflecting a 24% year-on-year increase. According to Štěpán Chalupa, Chairman of the Chamber of Renewable Energy, a significant portion of new solar capacity consists of self-consumption and local installations, typically constructed on rooftops. This decentralized model is beneficial for both system owners and grid stability.
Other renewable sources also showed varying trends. Hydropower production increased by 12.4% year-on-year, reaching 2.65 GWh, primarily due to higher rainfall. Wind power generation experienced a slight increase of 0.5%, totaling 705 MWh. Meanwhile, biogas plant production declined by 1.4% to 2.38 GWh. Chalupa noted that the stagnation in wind, hydro, and biogas energy is concerning, as biogas could serve as an essential alternative to imported natural gas and provide electricity during periods of low wind and solar output. He highlighted the potential for more than 1,200 additional wind power plants across the country, which, if realized, could cover nearly one-third of the Czech Republic’s annual electricity consumption. Encouragingly, municipal and regional interest in wind energy projects has been increasing.
Looking ahead, the Czech government envisions renewable energy as a key component of the national energy mix, complementing nuclear power. At the end of 2024, the government approved a climate-energy plan, outlining a strategy to increase the share of renewables in total energy consumption to more than 30% in the coming years.
Source: CTK
