Czech Republic increases share of renewable sources, but still lags behind within the EU
The Czech Republic reached an important milestone in its energy sector this spring. According to the latest data, the share of electricity generated from renewable energy sources (RES), such as solar, wind, or water, has climbed to 21 percent. Thanks to this increase, the Czech Republic has moved out of last place within the European Union for the first time in a long time.
Despite this positive development, the Czech Republic remains in second-to-last place in a European comparison. Only Hungary is now behind us. Other European Union member states use energy from natural sources much more intensively, with leaders in this field, such as the Nordic countries or Austria, covering a significantly larger portion of their consumption from renewable sources.
Experts state that the growth in the Czech Republic is primarily driven by the massive development of photovoltaic power plants. In recent years, homeowners and businesses have installed a record number of solar panels on the roofs of their buildings. This trend is helping to reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels, especially coal, which has long been the main source of Czech energy.
The path to fully clean energy, however, will still be a long one. The Czech government plans further investments in the modernization of the transmission grid and support for wind power plants in the coming years. The goal is to ensure stable electricity supplies while meeting the strict climate commitments the country has pledged to within the European Union.
Current figures show that the Czech energy sector is undergoing a gradual transformation. Although the pace of change is slower than in other European countries, the move out of last place is seen as an important signal that the Czech energy mix is beginning to modernize and adapt to current environmental standards.