In the future, the Czech energy sector is to be based on nuclear energy and renewable energy sources; their share should at least double in the coming decades. This is envisaged in the updated State Energy Concept, a draft of which has been submitted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade for inter-ministerial comment.
The proposal also envisages the use of natural gas as an interim fuel and the phasing out of coal by 2033. This is the first update of the concept since 2015.
Speaking about the need to update the concept, Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Síkela (STAN) stressed that the energy sector is undergoing the biggest changes in decades. "That is why we have put the update of this concept into the inter-ministerial comment procedure. Its aim is to ensure sufficient energy for citizens and businesses while meeting the challenge of climate commitments and decarbonisation of the energy sector," he said.
As such, the State Energy Concept is binding primarily on the state administration. For the market, however, it shows a clear vision of the state in the field of energy and the outlook for individual measures and support schemes, thus creating conditions for investment in these resources.
Climate neutrality in 2050
According to the Ministry, the main point of the future development of the domestic energy sector should be the gradual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The plans envisage that in 2030 the Czech Republic could reduce emissions by up to 63% compared to 1990 and in 2050 it should approach climate neutrality. Along with this, the state therefore envisages a fundamental transformation of the energy sector.
According to the concept, the basis should be a significant development of production from renewable energy sources, a temporary moderate growth in the use of gas, a gradual decline in coal production and a stable role for nuclear power in both electricity production and increasingly in heat production.
The strategy thus foresees that the share of renewables in primary energy consumption should reach 36 to 44 percent by 2050. At present, this share is around 18 percent. Another key point of the concept is the development of nuclear energy, including the replacement of existing nuclear units.
The draft concept also confirmed the intention to gradually reduce the use of coal, especially in the context of electricity and heat generation. After 2033, coal consumption in the Czech Republic should be limited to non-energy use only.
Natural gas should slowly replace biomethane and hydrogen
In this context, the strategy foresees the use of natural gas as a transit fuel in anticipation of increased electricity consumption. Gas should thus serve as a transitional fuel until new nuclear and renewable sources become available. In the long term, the proposal envisages the gradual replacement of natural gas by low-carbon and renewable gases, in particular biomethane and hydrogen.
The State Energy Concept is a strategic document that sets out the future goals and priorities of the state in the field of energy. It is binding for the state administration, and for the market it is intended to show the state's vision for the energy sector and the outlook for individual measures and support schemes.
Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade, CTK
Photo source: wikimedia commons
