Third participatory workshop in Czech Republic for the country tailored guidance on feasibility analysis

The third workshop of the REGATRACE project (Renewable GAs TRAde Centre in Europe) with Czech representatives took place online on 7^th October 2021 within the traditional national conference Construction and Operation of Biogas Plants, which has long been attended by a large number and a wide range of stakeholders from the entire field of biogas production and use in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The workshop focused mainly on the presentation of domestic conditions for the development of a sustainable biomethane market.

At the beginning of the workshop, the participants were welcomed by the Deputy Chairman of the Czech Biogas Association (CzBA) Mr. Matejka and the Member of the Board Mr. Stambasky.

Both first two presentations by Mr. Schwarz (EBW Solution) and by Ms. Arnoldova (ERO) and the subsequent discussions focused on the course and result of the amendment to the Act on Supported Energy Sources, public support and subsidy policies, from the point of view of the legislative framework and from the perspective of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO), with emphasis on the conditions and requirements for obtaining support for operators or investors. The amendment to the law was approved in September this year and is very important as it is the implementation of the RED II into the national law.

Following presentation by Mr Jungr (Ministry of Agriculture) dealt with the issue of agricultural AD plants and future trends in their sustainable operation from the perspective of the Ministry of Agriculture and the support of sustainable farming and digestate use on land.

Mr. Standera (OTE), as a representative of a future issuing body, then introduced the participants to the issue of Guarantees of Origin. A Decree on Guarantees of Origin of Energy is being created at the moment under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in which the details will be specified.

Mr. Stambasky (NovaEnergo) covered the issue of emission allowances and their management and also gave a complex outlook into the current and future trends in the energy mix in the European Union and the Czech Republic.

The workshop was closed by a presentation of a draft roadmap to national register of renewable gases also given by Mr. Stambasky (CzBA). The REGATRACE project has been shortly introduced and the results of first and second workshop summarised and presented to all participants. The presentation was followed by a vivid discussion covering the themes of GoO, register, financing, PR and testing.