Friday, 22 August 2025
Beginning 1 January 2026, unused areas within industrial and logistics zones in the Czech Republic will be eligible for photovoltaic power installations under an amendment to the Building Act signed by the President this week. The change removes long-standing legal barriers that prevented the use of undeveloped plots in such zones for renewable energy projects.
If half of the identified potential is utilized, photovoltaic systems with a combined output of up to 1,000 megawatts could be installed—roughly equivalent to the capacity of one unit at the Temelín nuclear power plant. The measure is expected to contribute to the country’s decarbonization targets and aligns with EU policy on renewable energy acceleration zones, which encourage development within urbanized areas close to consumption points.
The amendment follows an initiative launched by Panattoni, supported by a study with Rota Group on agrovoltaics, which demonstrated that vegetation can be preserved under solar installations. Until now, one of the main barriers was uncertainty over whether photovoltaic panels should be counted as built-up area or green space, which created difficulties with zoning regulations. The new law clarifies that ground-mounted solar systems in industrial areas do not reduce the required share of greenery, provided vegetation is maintained beneath them.
Alongside open land, the law also explicitly allows the placement of photovoltaic systems on existing structures unless prohibited by local regulatory plans. These provisions bring Czech legislation into closer alignment with the EU’s RES Regulation and the RED III Directive, which highlight renewable energy as a matter of overriding public interest.
The changes are expected to strengthen the role of industrial zones in renewable energy production, enhance energy security, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. They also form part of the largest push in recent years to unlock renewable capacity within already urbanized areas while preserving agricultural land.
