Energy Country Profiles

• Albania

• Bosnia & Herzegovina

• Bulgaria

• Croatia

• Czech Republic
  • Administration
  • Energy Policy
  • Energy Market Actors
  • Energy Supply
  • Energy Sources
  • Energy Demand
  • Environment
  • References

• Estonia

• Hungary

• Latvia

• Lithuania

• Macedonia

• Moldova

• Montenegro

• Poland

• Romania

• Serbia

• Slovak Republic

• Slovenia

• Turkey

• Ukraine

• About enerCEE|
• Green Electricity in CEE|
• Energy Policy and EU Enlargement|
• enerCEE Links

• Home
• |Czech Republic
• |Energy Demand

Demand per Sector

Total final energy demand amounts at 1,118 TJ (2001 figures). The share of industry in total consumption declined from 52 % (1990) to 44.5 % (2001). Nevertheless, due to the importance of metallurgy, mechanic- and chemical industry, industry remains the largest consumer of energy. It still depends heavily on the national coal deposits.

The share of transport increased from 8 % (1990) to 20 % (2001).

The share of the residential and tertiary sector has been almost stagnant between 35 % (1990) and 35.5 % (2001).

In Czech Republic, the heat sector (meaning practically district heat) and solid fuels are more important than in EU and Austria.

About 1.1 Million dwellings of Czech Republic, comprising about one third of the Czech residential sector, are situated in panel prefab buildings. Generally, the thermal quality of panel buildings is relatively low, resulting in energy demands around 240 kWh/m2 and year. In a joint Czech-Austrian project, co-ordinated by the Austrian Energy Agency, a panel prefab building in Brno is being rehabilitated, using elements of solar architecture.

32.4 % of households are connected to district heat and are supplied by 145.88 PJ of final energy heat (1999 value). The fuels applied for district heat production are solid fuels (119.42 PJ), liquid fuels (15.75 PJ) and gas fuels (47.79 PJ).Heat production and -distribution have regulated prices, VAT on district heat is 5 % until 2007.

Demand per Capita

Primary energy consumption per capita and per GDP are higher than on the EU -respectively Austrian average.

• Coal, although regressing, still covers 50 % of the country's energy demands.
• Natural gas covers 20 % and is progressing.
• Oil demand has stabilised around 20 %.

Final energy demand decreased around 3 % per year between 1991 and 1999, since it has been increasing. Coal has fallen in final energy consumption from 52 % to 17 % between 1990 and 2001. In the same period, oil climbed from 22 % to 29 %, electricity from 11 to 16 %, natural gas from 11 % to 23 %, and heat from 4 % to 11 %.

Primary energy intensity is an indicator to show how much energy is needed to produce one quantity of economic output. Referring to the output of her economy (based on purchase power parity), the relative primary energy demand in Czech Republic is above the average of the EU and Austria, but below that of Bulgaria and Ukraine, for example.

If one assumes that the structure of electricity demand in Czech Republic will, in the long term, approach that of the EU-countries, the following can be expected:

An increase of electricity demand per capita (white bars) means, that, in absolute figures, more electricity will have to be produced, by an increase of efficiencies in existing power plants and/or by newly built power plants. Slovenia and Czech Republic have approached the EU-average more than the other countries. The deviation of electricity demand per GDP of a country from that of Austria or the EU average indicates, how efficiently electricity is utilised in the respective economy in comparison to the EU or to Austria, or, conversely, which gains in efficiency are to be realised. If the electricity demand per GDP decreases - what can be expected for the future in CEE countries - more national income in the form of GDP will be produced with the same amount of electricity (the black bars in the figure will decrease in this case).

The deviation of electricity demand per GDP of a country from that of Austria or the EU average indicates, how efficiently electricity is utilised in the respective economy in comparison to the EU or to Austria, or, conversely, which gains in efficiency are to be realised. If the electricity demand per GDP decreases - what can be expected for the future in CEE countries - more national income in the form of GDP will be produced with the same amount of electricity (the black bars in the figure will decrease in this case).

Final Energy Consumption for Czech Republic, figures for 2009

Prospects for Energy Saving

Energy Intensity in Czech Republic is (2000-figures) is 1.6 fold of EU (5-9 MJ per GDP at purchase power parity) average and 2.2 fold of Austrian average (5 MJ per GDP at purchase power parity in 2001) It is a result of energy-intensive industries, centralised structures in the utilities, and a bulk of not yet realised saving potentials on the demand side (panel buildings, electricity production, ...). It has been decreasing by some 25 % in the past 12 years.

Most of the energy consumption in the residential and tertiary sector is used for heating. The housing stock is poorly insulated, substantial gains are to be realised in this sector.

Industry is still very dependent on coal. A switch to less carbon intensive fuels like natural gas and a structural change would provide lower emissions of CO2 and lower energy intensity.

Prices

In 1993, a VAT was introduced, beginning with 5 % and 23 %. Recently VAT is 5% and 22 %, but after 1.1.2004 the only VAT will be 22 %. Except for heat and warm water supply and services in area of building supply, for which the reduced rate of 5 % will apply until 31.12.2007. All energy for end use is subject to a 22 % VAT. Electricity Prices increased sharply in 2001-02 for households, now approaching EU average. Electricity prices for Industry remain below EU average.

Prices for natural gas have been rising since 1993.