ČSOB supports new trends in energy

News, 17/10/2018

The field of traditional energy is undergoing a significant transformation. The advent of innovative solutions is fundamentally changing the entire sector. The Czechoslovak Commercial Bank has therefore entered into a partnership with the Union of Modern Energy and will participate in the support of new trends in energy.

The founding members of the Union of Modern Energy are the Alliance for Energy Self-sufficiency, the Association for Accumulation and Batteries AKU-BAT CZ, the Association for the Combined Production of Electricity and Heat COGEN Czech, the Czech Technology Platform for Smart Grid and the Solar Association, the largest Czech association of photovoltaic power plant operators. The academic sphere in the association is represented by the University Center for Efficient Buildings of Czech Technical University in Prague and the ENET Center at VŠB – TU Ostrava. During the autumn of 2018, the Association of Modern Energy also grew to include the Czech Photovoltaic Association and the Association of Entrepreneurs for the Use of Energy Resources.

Supporting renewable sources or energy-saving projects is nothing new for ČSOB. The bank has been financing the construction and operation of solar power plants and EPC energy saving projects for many years. KBC Group also actively supports the conclusions of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as a result of which an increase in environmentally friendly resources is expected. For example, Bloomberg NEF predicts that an additional 1,000 GW of solar and wind power will be installed in the world in the next five years, with a total investment of $1.23 billion.

"We agree that reducing the production of greenhouse gases is a necessity and supporting modern energy trends is one of the ways. We consider the conclusion of a strategic partnership with the Union of Modern Energy to be an important step in our activities in the area of supporting sustainable development," says Petr Hutla, member of the ČSOB board responsible for CSR.

A big challenge for companies is the area of energy storage. In Europe, 20 gigabatteries can grow in a short period of time. InnoEnergy SE estimates that by 2025 the European battery market may reach a volume of 250 billion euros. By 2030, every third car on the road is expected to run on a battery.

"Current trends in the field of modern energy show dynamic development and it is a big challenge for the Czech industry. For ČSOB corporate banking, the energy sector is one of the key areas of our activities. We see opportunities especially in the further technological development of electricity production from renewable sources, energy storage, combined production of electricity and heat, electromobility, or emerging energy digital solutions," adds Marek Loula, senior director of corporate banking at ČSOB.

"We appreciate that ČSOB has become a strategic partner of the Union of Modern Energy. Our basic goal is to ensure good conditions for the technological growth of the Czech economy and companies. We strive for the domestic economy to be powered by modern energy sources, which include not only power plants or heating plants, but also energy services or the use of virtual solutions. The key is to ensure a reliable and affordable energy supply for all categories of customers while maintaining the requirements for clean air, energy independence and long-term low prices," its program director Martin Sedlák presents the priority goals of the Association of Modern Energy of the Czech Republic.

"The decarbonization of the energy sector is affecting more and more companies and institutions, and modern energy solutions will have a major impact on maintaining the competitiveness of Czech industry. A big role is also played by the social responsibility of companies and their attitude towards reducing the production of greenhouse gases," concludes Petr Hutla.