Acceleration zones to facilitate renewables development

The Chamber of Deputies is debating a bill on the accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources (known as lex ZOZE), which introduces new “acceleration zones” into Czech law to enable faster construction of solar and wind power plants. What specific benefits will these zones bring investors? And will they genuinely speed up permitting for projects that are desperately missing from the Czech energy mix? This article provides a detailed overview of legislative changes to date and an analysis of the expected impacts of lex ZOZE.

A bill on the accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources (known as lex ZOZE) has reached the Chamber of Deputies, transposing key provisions of the RED III Directive into Czech law. The bill also legally establishes “areas for the accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources”, better known as “acceleration zones”. Under the RED III Directive, Member States must designate acceleration zones in their spatial planning documentation by 21 February 2026. Given the tight deadline and the end of the parliamentary term, on 24 April the government decided to submit the bill under Section 90(2) of the Chamber of Deputies’ Rules of Procedure, meaning that it will seek its approval already at the first reading.