El vehículo, que tiene una autonomía de cien kilómetros, está presupuestado en 37.000 euros, aunque todavía no se ha designado la empresa fabricante.
La empresa eléctrica checa presidida por Martin Roman tiene previsto comprar y poner a prueba cien unidades de este modelo hasta el año 2012 para su propia flota.
Los vehículos eléctricos dañan menos el medio ambiente ya que si un automóvil normal produce cerca de 160 gramos de CO2 por kilómetro, esta nueva generación de coches ecológicos produce 100 gramos, según Martin Cmiral, director del Departamento de Productos Medioambientales de CEZ.
El año pasado fue el año de la energía solar fotovoltaica en la República Checa. Durante 2008, la capacidad instalada de sistemas fotovoltaicos se incrementó en este país diez veces respecto al año anterior. La energía solar térmica la ha seguido de cerca; la eólica es la que se queda en último lugar dentro de las renovables.
A mediados de 2008, el nuevo esquema de incentivos tuvo sus consecuencias sobre el mercado fotovoltaico, causando un boom en el sector. “Durante el año pasado, la capacidad de los sistemas fotovoltaicos con licencia se multiplicó por 10, hasta alcanzar los 54 MW”, asegura Petr Limek, de la Agencia Czech RE. A finales de febrero de 2009, el mercado ya alcanzaba los 60 MW. “el atractivo del sistema de incentivos impulsó la fotovoltaica desde prácticamente 0 MW hasta 20 el año pasado”, dice Stephan Orthen, del instituto Eclareon de investigación de mercados.
A principios de 2008, la Oficina Reguladora de la Energía creó una tarifa de 13,46 coronas checas para cada kW producido, asegurando la tarifa durante un periodo de 20 años. La República Checa ganó mucha importancia como zona de producción fotovoltaica. Los niveles medios de radiación solar son unos 1.150 kWh/m2 por año se añaden a la ya de por sí atractiva inversión. En 2009, se redujo la ayuda económica por primera vez. El incentivo combinado fue abolido y reemplazado por tarifas individuales. Los subsidios para los sistemas menores de 30 kW son ahora un 4,2% más bajo. Las instalaciones superiores a 30 kW vieron una reducción del 4,8%. Esto significa que el operador ahora recibe 12,89 coronas checas, es decir, 46 céntimos de euro para los sistemas más pequeños, y 45 céntimos de euro para los sistemas más grandes. Estas tarifas no son para el vertido de la electricidad en la red, sino para el autoconsumo del dueño de la instalación.
La República Checa ha emergido no sólo como nuevo mercado de ventas para la energía fotovoltaica, sino también como una localización geográfica atractiva para la producción. En comparación a sus vecinos, los costes aún son bajos. “En este país, sólo hay 200 empresas implicadas en la fotovoltaica”. La mayor parte son vendedores e instaladores. Y su número está creciendo. A la vista de la enorme demanda, la mayor parte del material fotovoltaico debe importarse. “el mayor vendedor del mercado checo siempre ha sido la marca alemana Schott Solar”. El segundo productor es Kyocera Solar Europa.
En junio de 2005, Schott Solar abrió una fábrica de módulos con una capacidad de producción de 40 MW, que ha crecido hasta alcanzar ahora mismo una producción cinco veces mayor. “El país tiene una infraestructura ejemplar y una amplia base de mano de obra especializada”. La pronta introducción de un incentivo económico a las energías renovables ha convertido a la República Checa en un pionero verde entre los estados europeos.
Incluso antes que Schott Solar, Kyocera Solar Europe había entrado en el mercado checo. La empresa abrió una fábrica en Kadan con una capacidad inicial de 25 MW. Su capacidad de producción se incrementará hasta 150 MW en marzo de 2010, con una inversión de 25 millones de euros. “Nuestra expansión es un paso importante para la industria solar en general. Kyocera Solar Europa podrá proporcionar a los países de alrededor también, así como a países en vías de desarrollo de Oriente Medio y África”, dice Mitsuruu Imanaka, presidente de Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH en Europa.
En opinión de Klimek, Solartec es actualmente el actor nacional más importante en el mercado fotovoltaico. Durante 2007, el fabricante de módulos elevó su producción desde 2 a 30n MW. Solartec, que fue fundado ya en 1993, destacó a nivel internacional, cuando en 2000 realizó una instalación con placas doradas sobre el tejado del lujoso hotel Corinthia de Praga.
El sector de la energía eólica, por el contrario, todavía está en pañales. A finales de 2008, sólo había en Chequia 150 MW instalados, dice paolo Berrino, portavoz de la Asociación Europea de la Energía Eólica. 34 MW habían sido instalados durante 2008 y otros 89 entre 2005 y 2007.
Al parecer, a los checos no les gusta la eólica porque estropea el paisaje. El proyecto más grande se está construyendo ahora. La empresa encargada es Ecoenerg Windkraft GmbH, y el parque tendrá una potencia de 42 MW. Serán 21 aerogeneradores de 2 MW cada uno.
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The ÈEZ Group has launched a pilot project supporting electromobility
Within this project the ÈEZ Group shall lend first 2 testing electric-powered vehicles to the Sue Ryder Home.
The ÈEZ company informed today about the intention to support the development of electromobility in the Czech Republic. As one of the first European power companies it shall launch a pilot project including a development of infrastructure necessary for wider utilisation of electric-powered vehicles. Lending the electric-powered vehicles to non-profit organisations is also a part of the pilot project.
According to the recently announced FutureMotion strategy the ÈEZ Group decided to support the concept of electromobility. Actions that the ÈEZ Group takes in this area are related to support of utilisation of electric-powered vehicles, providing complex services with relation to the ÈEZ distribution grid and also further support to production of electric power from renewable sources. The target is to contribute to development of fully “emission free” traffic in the Czech Republic.
“The electromobility concept has been a big challenge for the ÈEZ Group. Electric power seems to be a long-term and perspective solution of traffic issues. Electric power producers and distributors are logically partners to the whole concept. ÈEZ believes that electromobility shall be one of the key directions in which power industry will proceed in future and therefore it would like to be already deeply involved in its development in the Czech Republic and Central Europe,“ said Martin Roman, the General Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ÈEZ. In his opinion the electromobility concept will help secure a long-term stability and perspective to the ÈEZ company and to Czech power industry, it will contribute to better and safe life of people, it will be a benefit for environment and at the same time it will support the orientation of the Czech Republic towards knowledge economics and the competitive advantage of the Czech Republic within international competition will increase herewith.
Improvement of environment and a good quality of life are part of the municipal policy of many large regions and cities therefore their authorities are involved in development of electromobility both in form of direct financial cooperation or for example by preferring electric-powered vehicles (parking, access to city centre etc.). The capital city of Prague is interested in the Electromobility project. “Future development of municipalities will not do without radical changes in the field of traffic, both urban and passenger. One of the ways how to partially eliminate traffic impacts on quality of life in municipalities is looking for new solutions in the area of using electric power instead of combustion engines,“ says Pavel Bém, the Mayor of Prague. Potential users of electric-powered vehicles in Prague could be for example the Prague City Hall, further the Municipal Police of Prague, the Museum of the capital city of Prague, the Prague City Gallery, the Municipal Library of Prague, the Prague Public Transit Company, the Prague Information Service, Prague ZOO, the Prague Rescue Service, the Technical Administration Service of Roads etc.
Electric-powered vehicles offer many benefits. To begin with they do not produce any emissions of toxic gases (CO2, NOx etc.). Total CO2 emissions (including emissions from production of electric power) vary according to the way of production: using renewable sources or nucleus they are about 0.25 grams per kilometre, the current power mix of the ÈEZ Group generates 95 g/km. Common fuel vehicle emits 164 grams of CO2 per kilometre. Other significant advantage of electric-powered vehicles is their minimal noise level and much smaller maintenance demands. In terms of a user the electric-powered vehicle fuel costs converted to kilometres are already cheaper than at a common combustion engine car. Overall costs for operation of electric-powered vehicles are comparable to common cars and their significant reduction can be expected in future.
ÈEZ electromobility
The Electromobility project of the ÈEZ Group has three stages. In the initial stage of the pilot project ÈEZ is going to put into service minimally 10 electric-powered vehicles by mid 2010 in form of free rent to selected non-profit organisations. The Prague Sue Ryder Home will be provided a model of the Fiorino Combi passenger car and the Fiorino Cargo van as the first. Electric-powered vehicles operation data (consumption, charging experience etc.) will be monitored and ÈEZ will use this knowledge in further stages of the project.
Advanced stage of the pilot project will be implemented by 2012. It considers purchase of 50 to 100 electric-powered vehicles and its objective will be to test the charging infrastructure in Prague and Ostrava simulating a real long-term operation. In this stage ÈEZ already expects a proactive involvement of municipalities, especially by building public charging stations. At the same time there will be held a meeting with potential strategic partners – leading automobile manufacturers – themed development of common long-term project. The ÈEZ Group will invest approximately half a billion Czech Crowns in the pilot project. The experience from the pilot stages in partnership with manufacturers of electric-powered vehicles will the ÈEZ Group use in long-term plans to profile as a provider of electromobility services (third stage).
Elektromobility in Europe
The not very effective combustion engine has been still dominating to traffic. Although ecological parameters of engines improve, the local pollution and noise have still been a live problem. In effort to improve environment and life in cities many European and world cities and regions promote wider application of electric-powered vehicles in traffic. Key players in the electromobility concept are manufacturers of batteries, electric-powered vehicles, users, cities and state (providing benefits to development of electric-powered vehicles) and distributors of electric power.
Some large European power companies have already been supporting such projects and investing money in the first infrastructure concepts in West European cities (for example in Berlin). It is a very interesting business opportunity for them. It includes development of an infrastructure necessary for electric-powered vehicles, supplies of electric power to end customers, billing and additional services. Experts deem that customers – future users of electric-powered vehicles – can be attracted only by a widely conceived, safe, accessible and available infrastructure.
The main technical problem at electric-powered vehicles seems to be batteries, especially their not fully sufficient capacity which even decreases when used. It is necessary to increase the driving distance of vehicles and speed of charging the vehicle – both are solvable problems. It has already been worked on development of batteries with higher capacity and life durability; technologies for fast charging already exist.
CEZ Group (Czech: Skupina ÈEZ) is a conglomerate of 96 companies (including the parent company ÈEZ, a.s.), 72 of them in the Czech Republic. It is involved in the electricity generation, distribution, and trade. CEZ Group operates also in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Turkey. ÈEZ, a.s. is listed on Prague Stock Exchange, Warsaw Stock Exchange and ÈEZ shares are also traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
www.cez.cz/en/cez-group/media/press-releases/2496.html
