Interest in renewable energy sources in the Czech Republic will continue this year. According to the survey, more than 57 percent of people living in family homes are using these devices or plan to buy them. The most common motivation is energy saving and energy self-sufficiency. The most popular solution is a photovoltaic power plant. On the other hand, the main complication for those interested is the high initial investment as well as the demanding administration, this is according to a December survey conducted by Ipsos for Malina Energy Holding.
According to experts, the great interest in solar power plants was triggered mainly by expensive energy from conventional sources, whose prices rose sharply last year. Most consumers have therefore resorted to energy saving. In addition to reducing consumption, they have also opted for the acquisition of renewable energy sources.
The biggest demand is for solar equipment. This is confirmed by data from the Guild of Storage and Photovoltaics, according to which more than 240 megawatts (MW) of new solar installations were connected to the country’s energy grid last year, representing a nearly fourfold increase year-on-year.
According to Malina’s survey, photovoltaics are the solution for more than 60 percent of single-family homeowners who use or are considering some form of renewable energy. Heat pumps come in second with more than 40 percent and rainwater harvesting devices come in third with about 27 percent.
The survey also looked at the most common issues that accompany the purchase of new equipment. Nearly half of single-family home residents see a large upfront investment in acquiring the technology as a major barrier. Around a quarter of respondents then cited complicated administration and the need to meet the conditions for obtaining subsidies as problems. Interested parties are also bothered by long waiting times for installation, which for some companies have been around six to nine months in the last year.
The majority of people use their own savings to purchase renewables, up to 61 per cent. Another common source of financing is bank loans, used by about 30 percent of respondents.
Energetický Holding Malina has been operating on the Czech market for over a year. In 2022, the company installed 1,600 photovoltaic power plants, while it has over 5,000 additional signed orders, said Cyril Regner, chairman of the board of Energetický Holding Malina. This year, the company plans to further strengthen its market position. Last July, the company became the general partner of the first league football club Bohemians Praha 1905.
The survey was carried out between 8 and 14 December 2022. 514 respondents took part in the research and the target group was people living in privately owned houses, aged 30 and older.
Source: Ipsos for Malina Energy Holding and CTK
