The billions in subsidies aimed at reducing energy consumption and strengthening the role of renewable energy sources have not yet yielded results
PRESS RELEASE ON AUDIT NO 24/24 – 20 July 2026
Various programmes funded by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) between 2018 and 2025 were intended to reduce energy consumption in Czech industry and services, increase power generation from renewable sources, and lower the energy performance of buildings of state organisations. An audit by the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) revealed that set targets had not been met. Overall, the SAO audited CZK 26.4 billion at the systemic level at the MoIT. In addition to the Ministry of Industry, the SAO also audited 16 subsidy recipients. In four instances, it found evidence of breaches of budgetary discipline totalling CZK 2.7 million and filed criminal complaints, which delayed the publication of the audit conclusion. That is because the SAO may publish an audit that is under investigation by law enforcement authorities only after receiving their consent, which was granted this April.
The goal of the Energy Savings Programme, funded under the Operational Programme Enterprise Competitiveness and Innovation for the period 2014–2020 (OP PIK), was to reduce the energy consumption of the Czech business sector. However, an audit by the SAO revealed that the support provided by the MoIT, amounting to CZK 13.9 billion, had only a negligible impact on total energy consumption in industry and services. By 20 May 2025, it had yielded savings amounting to 1% of the total net* final energy consumption in industry and services in the Czech Republic. Moreover, as the audit further demonstrated, the support did not attract much interest, and the measures taken by the MoIT to increase engagement ultimately led to the funding of more expensive projects with lower savings.
Additional support of CZK 5.1 billion provided by the MoIT under the Operational Programme Technologies and Application for Competitiveness 2021–2027 (OP TAK) was intended to increase the installed capacity of renewable energy sources. According to the programme documentation, a total of 23 MW of installed capacity from renewable sources was to be achieved by 2024. Yet, by the time the SAO’s audit concluded in May 2025, the supported projects had not resulted in any new capacity for generating renewable energy.
The auditors from the SAO also examined subsidies from the National Recovery Plan (NRP), aimed at reducing energy consumption in state-owned buildings. It became clear that, in these buildings, the support would not bring about the expected reduction in energy consumption, primarily due to low interest from applicants for the subsidies. Of the total allocated amount of CZK 2.9 billion, CZK 268 million (i.e. 9%) had been utilised after three years, and, as of March 2025, the supported projects yielded annual savings of only 19.7 TJ (terajoules – a unit of energy). The plan, however, was to reduce energy consumption by 140 TJ per year (as of March 2026). The lack of interest among state organisations in applying for support stems in part from the unsuitable conditions for the support set by the Ministry, particularly regarding the short timeframe for project implementation. Other reasons included a lack of investment resources among state organisations, high inflation, and rising construction costs. Although the MoIT relaxed the conditions during the course of the programme, interest remained low.
In four of the 16 audited subsidy recipients, the SAO found evidence of breaches of budgetary discipline totalling CZK 2.7 million. These cases generally involved projects aimed at reducing the energy consumption of buildings. For example, auditors uncovered a breach involving a subsidy recipient who was supposed to install two photovoltaic power plants; however, the recipient completed only one of the plants while billing for both. Another recipient, going beyond the scope of the approved project, had balconies glazed, even though they were not included in the calculation of energy savings. The auditors also uncovered the opposite practice – a recipient failed to carry out certain the measures, even though they were part of the project, yet claimed them as eligible expenses.
Communication Department
Supreme Audit Office
* Net final energy consumption refers to the actual amount of energy used, excluding losses during its generation or distribution.