POWER UP
in Czech Republic: Rožnov pod Radhoštěm

In Czech Republic, POWER UP will implement a pilot scheme in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm.

The city is one of the 6 European pilots that act as “living labs”: each of them will implement novel business models around renewable energy or energy efficiency services together with households affected by energy poverty and with local stakeholders (municipalities, social organisations, energy utilities, citizen cooperatives etc.).

Inhabitants in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
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National energy poverty rate in Czech Republic in 2015
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Město Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
Město Rožnov pod Radhoštěm

The energy poverty issue

Although a definition of energy poverty and pilot studies on the issue exist in Czech Republic, energy poverty is still not officially measured. Currently there is a Czech pilot in the city of Litoměřice as part of the European project SCORE. It’s the testbed for a prosumer model that explicitely includes women and low-income households. In POWER UP, the Czech partner SEMMO will mostly work with energy poverty groups and also other socially vulnerable groups affected by the Covid pandemic such as young families and pensioners.

Renewable energy production and energy community

For almost 10 years SEMMO and its members have been implementing RES and EE projects. In the POWER UP pilot city of Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, a community solar PV project will be initiated that will benefit energy poor households. It is intended that the largest part of the energy produced (50% – 70%) will be sold and consumed in the local area whereas the unused surplus will be sold to the grid.

For the implementation of the pilots, SEMMO and its members will be supported by the Modernisation Fund administrated by the Czech Ministry of Environment as community energy projects have now become eligible.

Czech Partners

The city lies at the Eastern tip of Czech Republic, 17.000 inhabitants.

https://www.roznov.cz

SEMMO is the Czech Association of Energy Managers of Towns and municipalities. Based in Prague, it gathers 13 cities and one region with strong interest in sustainable energy, energy efficiency and community projects. Most of its members have signed the Covenant of Mayors to which SEMMO is committed as a supporting organisation.

https://semmo.cz

Don’t hesitate to contact us!

Sister organisation​

Each pilot organisation has found a ‘sparring partner’ organisation in its region which expressed its intention to replicate the pilot scheme.

The Czech sister organisations to benefit from the project will be recruited amongst SEMMO members.

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Webinar Replays

Pilot News

Since 2021, the city, academic and private partners that form the POWER UP team worked full steam on their inclusive energy services. Now, it is time to see how it went. An in-depth evaluation, authored by Saska Petrova and Ami Crowther from University of Manchester traces four and a half years of local work across Europe.
Join us for a dynamic morning event bringing together leading voices from municipalities, energy cooperatives, social justice advocates, and policy-makers to explore the future of inclusive, community-led energy systems in Europe and beyond
In regions grappling with energy poverty from the North to South of Europe, information on access to energy or support to energy retrofitting isn’t just helpful—it’s transformative. The municipalities involved in the POWER UP project recognised this early on.
It dates back to 2021, when four cities in Italy, Spain, Czech Republic and Belgium set off to produce renewable energy. Social equity was built in each of the business models as of day one. Initial dreams turned into reality thanks to very pragmatic approaches.
Two very different pilots with business models that go from one apartment block to city-wide actions: Valencia and Roznov. Read the webinar recap and view the presentations.
Ve čtvrtek 22. května 2025 vás zveme na odpoledne plné podnětných diskusí o komunitní energetice, využívání obnovitelných zdrojů na městských budovách, energetické chudobě a sdílení energie v českých obcích.
In Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, a town of 17,000 in eastern Czechia, the POWER UP project is piloting a simple but ambitious idea: install rooftop solar panels on a block of 85 social housing flats and share the electricity directly with the residents. These households are among the 9.2% of Czech citizens estimated to live in energy poverty. This pilot offers them locally produced, low-cost power—and a new way to take part in the energy transition.
This webinar will be showcasing how local governments in Valencia (Spain) and Rožnov pod Radhoštěm (Czech Republic) are turning renewable energy projects into tools for social justice and fighting energy poverty. Beyond technical innovation, both pilots show that fighting energy poverty starts with trust: in institutions, in local actors, and between citizens.
Across Europe, energy poverty limits access to affordable and sustainable energy, disproportionately affecting vulnerable households. The POWER UP National Guides provide a practical roadmap for municipalities, cooperatives, and local organisations to develop inclusive, community-led renewable energy solutions.
The latest POWER UP report presents key policy recommendations to support inclusive energy communities across different contexts, ensuring they benefit vulnerable households and contribute to a just energy transition.
Since the start of POWER UP co-designing activities, a selected group of people struggling with energy poverty were actively involved in collective decisions around renewable energy production. But awareness-raising and support should not be limited to a few. That is why, over the past months, the four pilots of POWER UP engaged a broader group of residents in activities whereby they learned how to have control over their energy consumption.
This report outlines financial opportunities for renewable energy projects focused on reducing energy poverty. It is intended for municipalities and other entities looking to implement socially oriented initiatives. The report covers public grants, private financing, and crowdfunding, showing how these can benefit vulnerable populations.
The POWER UP and Cooltorise teams had the pleasure to see many energy poverty advocates in Modena during the 2.5-hour workshop “Energy for the invisible citizen: in search for lasting renewable & fair solutions.” We discussed energy poverty and ways to fight it by working with those most affected.
Never before has energy poverty been such a serious threat to so many European citizens as it is now. Since the current energy crisis started, national Parliaments and local governments all over the EU discuss what immediate measures can be taken to help people come through this winter without freezing and starving. The latest POWER UP report may guide decision-making.