Fiala: Czech government to support 200,000 rooftop solar installations within two years

Within two years, the government will support a total of 200,000 rooftop solar installations, double the target set out in its policy statement. Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) said this at a press conference today following the appointment of the new environment minister, Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL). Over the past year, he said, the ministry approved CZK 14 billion in support for household and large-scale solar power plants.

Hladík considers helping municipalities and towns implement community energy to be a key priority, among other things. Nuclear power and renewables are the way to achieve zero-emission energy, he said. He also said that, under Fiala’s government, Czech residents had been able to save 350,000 tonnes of coal through subsidy schemes, equivalent to CZK 2.2 billion.

The ministry is preparing to expand the eligibility criteria for the New Green Savings programme, which supports energy savings. It wants to extend the programme to include investments in apartment buildings, switching from gas-fired sources to renewable energy sources, and state loans for investment. This year, the ministry wants to launch another round of boiler replacement grants in Czech regions to help vulnerable households replace older boilers.