Press releases pg. 20

CEZ Group’s venture capital fund Inven Capital has examined some 2,400 investment opportunities throughout Europe since 2015, selecting 14 for implementation, including two in the Czech Republic. Companies from their portfolio have launched many innovative projects that will contribute to the fulfilment of global decarbonisation targets, whether in the area of hydrogen technologies, solar energy, energy efficiency and savings, or e-mobility. Inven Capital has already successfully exited two companies, selling them to global players such as Microsoft and Shell. CEZ Group and the European Investment Bank have backed Inven Capital with EUR 240 million, of which approx. EUR 130 mil. have already been invested.

The e-mobility charging software specialist Driivz, in which ČEZ invested through its Inven Capital two years ago, has drawn in another major investor: manufacturer of trucks, buses, and construction machines Volvo Group. The company launched its first electric diggers last year and recently has announced its plan to offer a completely emissions-free truck portfolio by 2040. A joint pilot charging services project between Volvo Trucks, the Volvo Group and Driivz is ongoing. ČEZ charging stations have run on software from Driivz since 2020.

A sudden drop in power frequency in the grid requires back-up sources capable of restoring the balance within 30 seconds. In their BAART project, ČEZ and ČEPS tested the connection of a high-capacity battery system for providing power balance services, in particular automatic frequency regulation. The first 16 scenarios tested simulated actual operational situations and conditions, including up to 37 activations of automatic charging/draining of the battery store per week – that is the balance of the battery located at the Tušimice Power Plant grounds. During the one-year test, its reliability and ability to quickly respond to frequency deviations was proven.

In recent years, ČEZ has repeatedly achieved major savings of the valuable liquid. Last year, it reduced its consumption of surface water in its nuclear power plants by nearly 7% and in its traditional power plants by 16.5%.