Large solar plants began to proliferate in Czechia last year as the household market slowed

The number of large solar power plants is beginning to rise significantly in Czechia. A total of 44.593 new photovoltaic installations were commissioned in the country last year, 38.106 fewer year on year, but installed capacity of 967 megawatts (MW) was the same as in the record year of 2023. In terms of capacity, large-scale and business projects began to predominate. By contrast, the household market had already been largely saturated in previous years, according to industry representatives, which is why the total number of new installations was lower. Representatives of the Czech Association of Regulated Electricity Companies (ČSRES) said this at a press conference today.

More than 212.000 photovoltaic power plants are now connected to the grid in the Czech Republic. Their total number rose by 27 percent last year. Total installed capacity is 4,43 GW, up 28 percent year on year. Around 86 percent are installations on the roofs of family homes.

„In terms of numbers, photovoltaic power plants on the roofs of family homes dominated last year, with almost 41.000 newly connected, with a total capacity of 429 megawatts. However, in terms of installed capacity, photovoltaic installations at businesses and large power plants above one megawatt already predominated, with a total capacity of 539 megawatts. Across these categories, two and a half times more power plants above one hundred kilowatts were built than in 2023,“ said Svatopluk Vnouček, a member of the board.

The growing share of large installations is also reflected in the average size of new systems, which increased from 11,7 kW to 21,7 kW last year. Capacity is also increasing for household power plants, which averaged 10,5 kW last year, 30 percent more than before.

„We are well on track. To meet the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), we need to install one gigawatt of solar PV per year, but we cannot afford to slow down, which could happen given the planned changes to subsidy programmes,“ said Jan Krčmář, executive director of the Solar Association.

According to him, barriers to the development of huge solar parks with installed capacity of several dozen MW remain in the Czech Republic. These include blanket bans on renewable energy sources in zoning plans and difficulties in obtaining permits. He viewed the legislation on so-called agrivoltaics positively, although it is still limited in scope and does not allow vertical panels to be installed.

According to Krčmář, installation companies are in for a difficult year. He noted falling demand from households, which planned subsidy cuts are likely to exacerbate. Some companies may therefore go out of business, he said. At the same time, he estimates that installed capacity could reach one gigawatt this year as well.

The number of photovoltaic installations with battery storage is also growing. A total of 36.246 were connected alongside solar installations, with a combined capacity of 506 megawatt-hours (MWh). Household systems accounted for 84 percent of them. These batteries had an average capacity of 11,7 kWh. In total, 157.507 battery storage systems with a capacity of almost two GWh are connected to the grid in the Czech Republic alongside solar power plants. Their number rose by 23 percent year on year and their capacity by 26 percent.

According to Jan Fousek, executive director of the AKU-BAT Association for Energy Storage, the era of large-scale storage is gradually beginning. „This is due not only to the slowdown in residential solar construction, and therefore in the number of batteries connected to these systems, but especially to investors’ growing interest in developing new large-scale battery projects. We expect the approval of Lex OZE III and the growing role of storage in subsidy programmes for new energy sources to send a positive signal for further development,“ Fousek added.

The ČSRES association comprises state-owned transmission system operator ČEPS and the distribution grid operators ČEZ Distribuce, EG.D and PREdistribuce. Together, they operate 253.000 kilometres of power lines.

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