Prague appoints energy manager to achieve sustainability goals

The new figure will have an essential role in leading the Czech capital to carbon neutrality

On Monday the Prague City Council approved the establishment of a new post within its administration: the Energy manager. Its objective is to coordinate the activities of the city in increasing the electricity production from renewable sources, in order to reduce its energy consumption and to ultimately help Prague achieve its climate ambitions of reducing CO2 emissions produced on its territory by 45% before 2030.

Towards carbon neutrality in 2050

Another task of the Energy Manager of the Czech capital will be to prepare the city's carbon budget. This framework should define how much greenhouse gas emissions associated with the management and use of Prague’s property the city is allowed to produce each year in order to meet its climate commitment. The basis for this budget will be energy management, which will monitor and evaluate energy consumption and energy intensity of city property.

The energy manager will also work on specific energy projects with EU and external funding. Part of the job description is also the establishment of the Community for renewable energy sources, which will enable the democratization of energy in the form of hundreds, and later thousands of small photovoltaic power plants on the roofs and balconies of buildings, which will supply surpluses on-site in the capital. This is one way for Prague to reduce its dependence on electricity from coal-fired power plants.

"The energy manager and the department headed by him will have the task of fundamentally strengthening the city's activities leading to a reduction in the consumption of energy from fossil sources, ie coal in particular”, said deputy mayor for the Environment Petr Hlubuček, quoted by the municipal portal. He also clarified that Energy consumption and savings have the greatest potential for reducing the city's carbon footprint.

The establishment of the body was recommended by the Commission for Sustainable Energy and Climate. It is believed to be essential in order for Prague’s to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century.