The Ministry for Regional Development has published a proposal for planned acceleration zones. Wind and photovoltaic power plants will be able to be built in acceleration zones under a simplified procedure.
The designation of the zones is required by the European Renewable Energy Directive III, which tightens targets for the use of renewable energy sources by 2030. Czechia is required to present their form to the EU by the end of August this year. If it fails to do so, it could lose up to 25 billion crowns in subsidies, as European Commission representatives recently warned Czechia at a meeting. The zones are intended to enable the construction of renewable energy sources with a total capacity of 3 GW.
Czechia committed to designating acceleration zones for faster renewable energy development by the end of August this year as part of meeting the milestones and targets of the National Recovery Plan. “ I consider it an obligation that we must fulfil towards the European Union. We will certainly meet the 3 GW target and draw EU funds,” said Filip Turek, the government commissioner for climate policy and the Green Deal.
Comments accepted until the end of April
The proposal currently includes 94 potential zones, according to politicians, covering a combined 474 square kilometres. Regions, municipalities, non-profit organisations and the public are to comment on the proposal. Government departments have until the end of April to submit their comments. A public hearing will take place on 15 May. In both cases, comments on the proposal may be submitted to the Ministry for Regional Development within 15 days of the hearing. The outcome must then also be approved by the government.
“Acceleration zones do not replace the standard permitting process; the process will simply be streamlined there. They do not guarantee investors that a power plant can be built there. However, if all legal requirements are met, construction is also possible outside acceleration zones,” Minister for Regional Development Zuzana Mrázová said at a press conference.
Pavel Drahovzal, vice-chairman of the Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic, is satisfied with the document entering public consultation. “It has resulted in a relatively accommodating and user-friendly map of where power plants can be built,” he said. In his view, towns and municipalities should have genuinely well-founded reasons if they decide to reject a zone in their area during the consultation process.
