Among the large hydroelectric power plants, the Vltava Cascade power plants Orlík, Slapy and Lipno played the leading role, the small hydroelectric power plants were led by Vydra in the Šumava and Práčov on the River Chrudimka, and the solar parks were topped by Ralsko and Ševětín in South Bohemia. The variable nature of production and the ability of the different types of renewable sources to complement each other is shown by the fact that, when comparing production by month, hydro and wind had the strongest January, while solar sources had the strongest March.
“Last year’s favourable natural conditions for emission-free renewable sources carried over into the first quarter of this year. Well-maintained and continuously upgraded power plants produced more than a third of what they did in all of 2023 from water, sun and wind. In an era of variable weather, the need for a diverse and nationally distributed portfolio of renewable sources has also re-emerged as an important condition for stable production. Thus, outages of one type of source can be compensated for by plants using another natural element or those we operate in other parts of the country. If the sun isn’t shining, it’s usually windy or raining,” said Jan Kalina, a member of the Board of Directors and Director of the Renewable and Conventional Energy Division.
Share of Months in Total Production of Individual Types of ČEZ RES in Czech Republic in Q1 2024
|
|
January |
February |
March |
|
Hydroelectric power plants |
47.8% |
28.6% |
23.6% |
|
Photovoltaic power plants |
20.4% |
23.8% |
55.8% |
|
Wind power plants |
37.2% |
28.6% |
34.2% |
Renewable sources operated in the ČEZ Group have been producing green energy for more than 100 years. The oldest are the small hydroelectric power plants Hučák in Hradec Králové, dating from 1910, and Čeňkova Pila in the Šumava, which is two years younger. The most recent birth dates are for solar power plants connected to the grid last year: in Křižany near Liberec and the first Czech floating photovoltaic plant located on the upper reservoir of the Štěchovice II pumped storage plant.
ČEZ also builds turnkey photovoltaic power plants for households and companies. In 2023, ČEZ Prodej and ČEZ ESCO installed rooftop solar power plants with a total capacity of 52 MWp for their customers. Compared to the previous year, this was a 75% increase in performance. Household customers are purchasing photovoltaic plants mainly to reduce energy costs and to enhance their energy self-sufficiency. They are therefore mostly opting for a solution in combination with a battery system that provides greater flexibility and efficiency in the consumption of the electricity produced – this option accounted for two-thirds of all orders last year. The average size of solar panels purchased by households last year was 7.3 kW. By investing in photovoltaics, companies are reducing their carbon footprint and greening their operations. ČEZ ESCO has additional orders in progress for 20 MW from 2023.
See how ČEZ’s renewable sources work through virtual tours ČEZ Virtual Tours (cez.cz)
More about ČEZ Group’s Green Power Plants in the Czech Republic Renewable Sources | ČEZ Group - About the Company (cez.cz)
