Renewable energy construction will be simpler, the government has approved

Prague – For renewable energy sources up to 50 kilowatts (kW), there will be no need for a building permit from the building authority or a license from the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ), the government approved today. When making modifications to constructions that include the installation of renewable energy sources, the appearance of the building will not be assessed. The simplification will also apply to structures located in areas significant from the perspective of environmental protection or heritage preservation. This was announced at a press conference after the government meeting by Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Pirates) and Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela (for STAN).

Renewable energy sources up to 50 kW, with the exception of water works in built-up areas or buildable plots, will, thanks to the amendment to the Energy Act, approved by the ministers today, fall under the so-called free regime and will henceforth not require a location decision or territorial consent, according to government materials. A building permit or notification to the building authority will not be necessary for the placement of renewable energy sources with an output of up to 50 kW, provided it is part of the construction, does not interfere with load-bearing structures, and does not change the use of the building.

The power limit for smaller solar power plants, for which owners must apply for a license to produce electricity and obtain a business license, will rise from ten to 50 kW. The Ministry of the Environment requested that the limit be raised to 100 kW. However, this comment was not accepted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

"This is the first step towards greater development of renewable energy sources, which we will take this autumn, with more to follow very soon," Síkela stated. He added that his ministry is witnessing a huge interest in the subsidy program to support the installation of photovoltaic power plants. Initially, an allocation of four billion crowns was planned, but due to high demand, the ministry will increase it to as much as nine billion crowns, he said.

Thanks to such supported projects, the volume of electricity generated from solar power plants could increase by up to a third, Síkela further stated. He added that this could allow the Czech Republic to catch up with other European Union countries, which it currently lags behind in this regard.