What can we use to produce emission-free electricity in the Czech Republic?

This text is part of a series of texts on the cornerstones of zero emissions Before we start exploring the possibilities of individual , let's recall the basic scale of the problem we are solving.

Today in the Czech Republic we consume around 60 per year We expect a significant increase, mainly due to the electrification of parts, heating and Estimates of this increase vary slightly, for the purposes of this text a well-remembered rough estimate will suffice: .

We do not necessarily have to cover all of this with domestic production, we can cover part of it with imports from abroad For each source we give an estimate , based on the estimates and .

These values ​​are certainly not set in stone, in the coming years and decades we can expect further significant developments in the costs of individual resources (even in Czech conditions, where, for example, 1 solar panel is produced for only around 1.

3 compared to 2 in the south) Today, the total cost of new wind energy is even about 2x lower than the mere operating costs of production from brown energy.

The potential for this production on the most suitable surfaces (roofs, facades, former surface mines, brownfields, etc ) is, however, limited.

The landscape has practically unlimited potential panels in the fields do arouse resistance, but it must be remembered that for this purpose we cultivate in our country on about 1,300 km2, which is an area that would be sufficient for the production of 70 per .

In addition, today there are already compromise solutions, for example so-called agrivoltaics, where it is used in two ways - to grow crops that grow better in the shade than in direct sunlight and thrive under high-placed, sparsely planted panels In the Czech Republic, however, this approach is still promising.

Even if it blows a lot especially near the sea and we don't have that here, we can still cover a significant part of ours with help The Institute of Atmospheric Physics AV estimates the technical potential of production from this source in the Czech Republic at approx.

70 / it depends to a great extent on the support and - on the order of 10-30 / .

, which we discuss below The fundamental problem of ua is the variability of their production.

In this text, we are primarily concerned with seasonal variability – resources produce the most in spring and summer, while wind resources produce the most in autumn and winter (at least in a ratio of 3:1 in favor of ).

In the Czech Republic, however, we still have a considerable preponderance of production from the sun (approx 3:1 in favor of the sun).

This definitely does not match the layout If we were to develop renewable production in this ratio, it would require large capacities, that is, to have something to store it in so that we can use it when the sun does not shine so much: The graphs show hypothetical production from the sun and in the Czech Republic at the level of 60 per , in a ratio of 3:1 and 1:3.

Production is divided into individual months according to averages for 2015–2020 We compare it with the net in individual months, again the average for 2015-2020.

it proposes to allow it temporarily until 2045 as a sustainable investment, which simplifies the financing of new projects The condition is the creation of national plans to build a permanent repository by .

(and thus fulfill emission obligations and ) The planning of these has recently been taking more than 20 years, with many recent projects not even close to meeting the original schedule.

In recent decades, there has been no vk purely on a market basis, and also in the last ten years it has repeatedly resisted entering a new one at its own market risk With the continued development of solar production, the situation will be for blocks.

Frequent surpluses of production from renewable sources will reduce the average price and thus the operators, possibly in times of excess they will push them to reduce production Development therefore depends on support from .

If we wanted to cover most of the future, say 90 per, we would need an installed power of around 12 Today we have about 4, of which we will probably have to close 2 in the current ones.

At The Same Time To One Of Size 1 2

However, we would have to build 8 such new blocks This would suddenly require an unthinkable amount of finance, expert capacity and a huge investment risk.

In addition, we would have to open more locations, which is not easy Given these characteristics, it is realistic to consider either a departure from , or only its limited development.

In the horizon, it cannot cover our entire projected It is about , which promises smaller reactors (with electrical output of the order of 10-300 ), which should be possible to mass-produce in a factory and basically ready to transport them for use.

Thanks to their passive design, they should also be safer, because in the event of a crisis, they will last longer without the intervention of operators and without external supply These features should contribute to significantly easier extension of this .

The Ministry is already preparing the framework for their construction in In our conditions, they can be particularly attractive for the decarbonization of large heating plants.

Despite intensive research and development, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding this Will it even make it? How quickly will they be able to scale? How will the safety regulatory authorities approach them? What will their price be and how fast will that price fall? For this reason, it is not appropriate to think of them as the only solution for decarbonization.

But in the next decades, they can diversify the palette of our possibilities In addition to the sources already mentioned, others can be used.

They can hardly play a central role in the future low-emission mix, but they can serve us as additional sources whose performance we can regulate as needed For the operation of the entire system, these flexible sources are absolutely crucial, because they can supply when there is no light or blowing (or one of them is in an unexpected shutdown).

In the following text, we focus on today's main one, although it is of course possible that something completely different will prevail in practice later Since we focus on , in this text, we will not elaborate on .

They are in the Czech Republic, or the cold From these sources it is possible (in selected locations in the Czech Republic) to produce together.

From the point of view of today's costs, however, the potential for geothermal resources in the Czech Republic is low (compared to the others we present here) Moreover, with regard to the protection of the landscape, it is very difficult to implement new large dams today.

So we can continue to develop a network of small ones, but they produce only a little and are not very significant from the point of view of the future , e.

g with higher production in the morning and evening they supplement the production from the sun.

However, the amount left is limited and the dams must always release at least some Roughly 40% of production is thus inflexible (in recent years, the minimum output has been between 70-100, the average output for the entire period then between 200 and 300).

In the coming decades, ongoing climate change in the Czech Republic may intensify hydrological problems The consequence of this can be both a lower volume of annual production and a lower flexibility of this production.

is a significant source of biomass – waste, organic matter, manure, residues from or cuttings from processing (chips) can be used Many of them also have other uses: they are used as feed for livestock, for production, as organic or as carbon mass, which is possible naturally.

is another source of biomass - these include, for example, miscanthus or trees There are two reasons for this: On one hectare it is possible to grow biomass for the production of 20-30 , i.

e all (over 4 million hectares) would supply 85-125 per year.

, using all v for biomass is of course unthinkable We also have to be careful worldwide, a large use would raise prices, which would make access worse for people in poor countries and could thus have very bad consequences.

From the point of view of the climate, this resource makes sense only for local use or low-emission transport We need that obtained from biomass significantly exceed that put into cultivation, and .

Despite all these reservations, biomass can play because of its easy storage : worldwide today, it is only in use in (and then outside of the electric power industry, usually used in processing ).

Most of the CCS projects announced in the world in the last decade have been cancelled, so there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the successful development of this and the implementation of new projects In addition, which is not yet available in the medium and requires a new system of pipes transporting CO2 to storage.

Currently, such infrastructure is being developed by e g.

It can capture only about 85-95% of direct emissions and does not capture indirect emissions from mining and fossil fuels, so e g.

gas turbines with CCS are far from climate neutral In addition, CCS requires the further development of fossil mining, and it is difficult to guarantee that a significant portion of the fuels from such projects will actually be burned using CCS.

Despite all these problems, the successful development of CCS in the Czech Republic will depend on the support because the preparation of the CO2 storage still carries too many uncertainties and risks for private investors Additional sources of information about CCS can be found at .

, when there is an excess of it in the network it is possible to economically store it in large volumes and for a longer period underground.

It can then be produced in steam-gas blocks that resemble those on Due to the relatively easy storage for the winter, it is also a potential for the decarbonization of heating plants.

As part of the plan, he wants to Half is to be produced internally and half to be imported from other countries (e.

G From The North)

This is not enough - to produce these 20 Mt of green, about 1,000 extra emission-free are needed (that is, about 35% of the current one), and it is therefore not clear whether this plan will be realized For an approximate orientation: of the mentioned 20 Mt per year, about 350-400 could be retroactively produced (about 13% of the current annual ), i.

e only about a third , which is consumed in the production of this .

To compensate for fluctuations in production from the sun, it is still a large number, e g.

according to the Ember think tank, only about 110 z will be needed to compensate for fluctuations in the whole They only allow to shift its production (using storage) or (using flexibility) at a given location for a short time.

Therefore, we do not deal with them in detail in this text In the Czech Republic, they are the most important: It should be added that 1 consumed in does not provide nearly as much flexibility as 1 supplied from .

But it helps to reduce the difference between day and night With a large representation of the sun and in the mix, we will need significantly more short-term equalization, on the order of 5-20 per .

however, it is not possible to expand too much, so (e g.

Lithium, Etc )

Some are available and cost-effective already, for example and (and from a certain point of view, conventional sources too) Others, for example, small modular reactors, or and CCS, may reach greater commercial maturity already in the course of this decade.

The following table offers a summary of all the sources discussed Summary of the main emission-free sources in the Czech Republic However, it should be added that each of these main sources has a significant limitation.

Most production from the sun is concentrated into relatively few hours during the warmer half in turn, it has limited potential in the Czech Republic to be able to reliably cover the colder part.

resources encounter a very long construction time and investment costs, thus also a high investment risk Therefore, it is not entirely obvious that the Czech Republic will really achieve a cheap and stable mix.

All the more we need to assess possible scenarios comprehensively and potential maps , then .

The total costs associated with production from the sun are today at around 50 Most of it consists of investment costs, as these need no fuel or .

For the brown one, the operating costs alone are approximately 100, and over 300 The production price of z is increased by increasing , the production price of z is then increased by the (highly variable) price of this .

The estimate of 4× is based on around 0 15 W/ and conventional in the Czech Republic around 6 W/.

is about 4,000 km2 in the Czech Republic, of which roughly goes to biodiesel On 1,300 km2, an average of almost 8 is obtained, i.

E Less Than 70 Per

For the Czech Republic, no relevant study has yet been prepared on agrivoltaic, the ongoing one should provide additional insights In English, you can find many sources: the basic one is offered, for example, from the series , for geographically similar ones, it was prepared by .

However, the Czech optimal mix will be different for the future The optimal mix always depends on the climate of the country in question: while the weather often overlaps, the insolation overlaps with the operation of the air conditioning.

In Czech conditions, in the case of greater electrification of heating, an even higher proportion compared to the sun would be appropriate, approximately in a ratio of 4:1 or 5:1 The preparation of the project takes at least 5–10 years, for example, for reactor 5, they expected construction to start only in 2029.

The length of construction has recently often far exceeded 10 years E.

g construction of the Finnish Olkiluoto 3 block 17 (estimated 4), for the Flamanville 3 block today 16 (original 6), for the Hinkley Point C blocks today 10 (original 8, but still in the early stages of construction).

The impact of the delay on is analyzed in greater detail by the Association for International Affairs E.

g at Hinkley Point C at a purchase price of around 110.

For those with a large share of renewable resources, newer flexible reactors that can quickly regulate power are relatively suitable A large part of the 3rd generation reactors have such technical capabilities.

For example, the Belleville 1 reactor has an installed power of 1 3, but it can go from full power to a minimum power of 300 within about 2 hours.

By reducing the output, the operator can optimize costs in times of overproduction from the sun and It offers a wider context, for example, about the role in emission-free.

Of course, it depends a lot on the exact form of the support, whether it just takes over the risks from the private producer or whether it can also benefit from the eventuality A certain argument for cautious development is also the maintenance of Czech know-how in the field of construction and operation.

This would contribute to the diversification of risk in the future Agencies for z estimate the commercial availability of SMRs at the beginning of 30.

However, this does not mean that it will be a cheap resource at that time.

E G

The latest summary report of the IPCC panel in estimates that SMRs can compete in price with conventional sources around According to a 2015 research project, the untapped potential of small v is about 0.

23 per The calculation is based on ornamental plants (miscanthus) up to 0.

78 W/ (in combustion heat) and on the assumption of 45% efficiency of conversion to , i e.

Roughly 0 35 W/ (in )

This Is Also Roughly Equivalent To The 0 15–0

3 W/ That David Mackay Made In His Book 0

35 W/ Represents 3 5 /ha, I

E About 30 Per Hectare

Currently, there is no turbine on the market that can burn 100% For example, he wants to have turbines that can burn a mixture of 75% and 25% and turbines at 100% on the market by .

Possible For Production: E G

, storage, storage, compressed air storage - but we need to achieve a significant discount for all of these On : individually controlled flexibility in homes (includes electric cars, new pumps and electric boilers) and flexibility in .

The calculation is based on ornamental plants (miscanthus) up to 0 78 W/ (in combustion heat) and on the assumption of 45% efficiency of conversion to , i.

E Roughly 0

35 W/ (in ) This is also roughly equivalent to the 0.

15–0 3 W/ That David Mackay Made In His Book

0 35 W/ Represents 3

5 /ha, I E

about 30 per hectare Currently, there is no turbine on the market that can burn 100%.

For example, he wants to have turbines that can burn a mixture of 75% and 25% and turbines at 100% on the market by Possible for production: e.

g , storage, storage, compressed air storage - but we need to achieve a significant discount for all of these.

On : individually controlled flexibility in homes (includes electric cars, new pumps and electric boilers) and flexibility in The calculation is based on ornamental plants (miscanthus) up to 0.

78 W/ (in combustion heat) and on the assumption of 45% efficiency of conversion to , i e.

Roughly 0 35 W/ (in )

This Is Also Roughly Equivalent To The 0 15–0

3 W/ That David Mackay Made In His Book 0

35 W/ Represents 3 5 /ha, I

E About 30 Per Hectare

Currently, there is no turbine on the market that can burn 100% For example, he wants to have turbines that can burn a mixture of 75% and 25% and turbines at 100% on the market by .

Possible For Production: E G

, storage, storage, compressed air storage - but we need to achieve a significant discount for all of these On : individually controlled flexibility in homes (includes electric cars, new pumps and electric boilers) and flexibility in .

78 W/ (in combustion heat) and on the assumption of 45% conversion efficiency to , i e.

Roughly 0 35 W/ (in )

This Is Also Roughly Equivalent To The 0 15–0

3 W/ That David Mackay Made In His Book 0

35 W/ Represents 3 5 /ha, I

E About 30 Per Hectare

Currently, there is no turbine on the market that can burn 100% For example, he wants to have turbines that can burn a mixture of 75% and 25% and turbines at 100% on the market by .

Possible For Production: E G

, storage, storage, compressed air storage - but we need to achieve a significant discount for all of these On : individually controlled flexibility in homes (includes electric cars, new pumps and electric boilers) and flexibility in .

78 W/ (in combustion heat) and on the assumption of 45% conversion efficiency to , i e.

Roughly 0 35 W/ (in )

This Is Also Roughly Equivalent To The 0 15–0

3 W/ That David Mackay Made In His Book 0

35 W/ Represents 3 5 /ha, I

E About 30 Per Hectare

Currently, there is no turbine on the market that can burn 100% For example, he wants to have turbines that can burn a mixture of 75% and 25% and turbines at 100% on the market by .

Possible For Production: E G

, storage, storage, compressed air storage - but we need to achieve a significant discount for all of these On : individually controlled flexibility in homes (includes electric cars, new pumps and electric boilers) and flexibility in .

so about 30 per one hectare Currently, there is no turbine on the market that can burn 100%.

For example, he wants to have turbines that can burn a mixture of 75% and 25% and turbines at 100% on the market by Possible for production: e.

g , storage, storage, compressed air storage - but we need to achieve a significant discount for all of these.

On : individually controlled flexibility in homes (includes electric cars, new pumps and electric boilers) and flexibility in so about 30 per one hectare.

Currently, there is no turbine on the market that can burn 100% For example, he wants to have turbines that can burn a mixture of 75% and 25% and turbines at 100% on the market by .

Possible For Production: E G

, storage, storage, compressed air storage - but we need to achieve a significant discount for all of these On : individually controlled flexibility in homes (includes electric cars, new pumps and electric boilers) and flexibility in .

.