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Czech Republic: Subsidy Scheme stopped since October 2010

Submitted by Baerbel Epp on Wed, 07/21/2010 - 16:10.

Both the Ministry of Environment and the State Environmental Fund announced on Monday, 25 October, that the subsidy programme Zelena Usporam would come to a halt at 29 October 2010. Read here, why the programme has been stopped all of a sudden!

Since March 2009, home owners in the Czech Republic had been receiving grants for solar thermal systems under the “Zelena Usporam“ programme, which translates as ”Green Savings”. Its budget again profited in July 2010 from further sales of Assigned Amount Units to Japan. New requirements for it were approved as well, allowing public institutions to apply for grants besides the residential sector.

At July 2011 it is still unclear whether and when the incentive programme will start again. In an interview for the Czech internet portal aktualne.cz, the Minister of Environement Tomas Chalupa said: “It is not very realistic that Zelena Usporam will be reopened to the masses again. However, it is possible that it will start again for a small target group that has not been satisfied yet.” The Minister did not want to say which groups he has in mind “because that would make those groups to victims of new consulting companies that would be pushing them into the program. ”


 

Country / region   Czech Republic
Name of programme  Zelena Usporam (Green Savings)
Type of incentive  Subsidy
Eligible technologies  Solar thermal systems, biomass boilers and heat pumps, insolation
Applicable sectors  Primarily residential home owners, who might also have rented their house to somebody.   For a short period between 19 June and 31 August 2010 public institutions like cities, towns, villages and regions can apply for a subsidy
Amount  Residential hot water systems: Czech Korun (CZK) 55,000
residential combi systems, supplying domestic hot water and space heating: CZK 80,000
Application from the public sector: 90 % of the investment costs
Maximum incentive  Fixed subsidies for residential systems: CZK 55,000 and 80,000 for solar thermal systems 

There is an additional bonus if a home owner combined the installation of a solar system with another environmentally friendly way of heating water or the household itself. Applications from the public sector up to a max. of CZK 200 million.

Requirements for system  The solar system must come from a supplier, which registered with the programme (you will find a list of registered suppliers under the following link)

Systems are approved for the subsidy if they reach 350 kWh/m2 for hot water systems or 280KWh/m2 for combi systems

Requirements for installation 
  • use of certified components for the system
  • electrical protection against freezing temperatures
  • consumer obligation to use the installed solar system for at least 15 years 
Finance provider  Ministry of the Environment
Total funds  CZK 20 billion from emission trading spent between March 2009 and May 2010. CZK 25 billion ( approx. EUR 1 billion) for all three technologies: solar thermal systems, biomass boilers and heat pumps for the period between June 2010 and December 2012
Funding source  Emission trading under the Kyoto Protocol
Effective date  March 2009, new requirements since 19th of June 2010
Expiration date  The programme stopped in October 2010 and the date of the relaunch is unclear
Website  http://www.zelenausporam.cz/ www.opzp.cz http://www.sfzp.cz/  
Last review of this tabloid  July 2011
Contact Ministry of the Environment
Phone: 00420/800 260 500
Email: dotazy@sfzp.cz
http://www.zelenausporam.cz/

Effective Date: 
July 1, 2010
Incentive Program: 
Zelena Usporam (Green Savings)
Contact: 
Ministry of the Environment