The Government approved Resolution No. 272, which sets out the basic procedure for defining the areas necessary for the Czech Republic’s contribution to the European Union’s overall renewable energy target for 2030 and the areas for accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources (hereinafter referred to as the Resolution). According to the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic, the adopted Resolution is intended to enable the establishment of areas suitable for easier permitting of the construction of renewable energy sources.

The Resolution was approved by the Government in the context of the requirements for Member States under Directive (EU) 2023/2413¹ of the European Parliament and of the Council. The Directive aims to simplify and speed up administrative permitting procedures, the length of which is one of the main obstacles to investment in renewable energy projects, and to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy dependence and energy prices.

Member States are obliged to ensure that the relevant national authorities adopt national instruments to identify areas for accelerated deployment of renewable energy by 21 February 2026. To this end, the Government has mandated the relevant Ministers to prepare an update of the Spatial Development Policy by the end of 2024 and to submit an initiative to amend the Spatial Development Plan so that the amendment is submitted to the Government by the end of the following year.

In practice, the permitting procedures for renewable energy projects that meet the conditions set for the areas should not exceed 12 months in the acceleration zones, and the environmental impact assessment, or EIA, should be simplified. The permitting procedure for the modernisation of energy production installations, for new installations with an electrical capacity of less than 150 kW, for energy storage on the same site, including energy and thermal installations, as well as for their connection to the grid, if they are located in areas suitable for the accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources, must not exceed 6 months under the Directive.

Sites falling within the Natura 2000 network, national parks and Zones 1 and 2 of protected areas should be excluded from the acceleration zones.