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Activists criticise law on renewable energy, industry hails it, Prague Daily Monitor  Prague, Aug 16 (CTK) – Environmentalist groups and solar industry associations in the Czech Republic have expressed criticism of the amended law on renewable sources, approved by the Chamber of Deputies Friday, but representatives of industrial companies have welcomed the bill.

Environmentalists say the law will end support to environmentally friendly production of electricity while maintaining subsidies to burning coal, gas and waste.

In contrast, representatives of industrial companies focusing on energy-intensive production welcome the bill, saying it will help to maintain competitiveness of Czech businesses.

“The law brings no end to subsidised electricity. It only ends support to projects of pure renewable energy for municipalities and households, while it continues to subsidise large companies which operate waste incinerators and coal-fired power plants,” Jiri Kozelouh of environmentalist movement Hnuti Duha (Friends of the Earth) said.

“If the law is approved by the Senate too, it will give more power to fossil fuel barons who get billions of crowns from the sale of gas, oil and coal whose prices continue to rise. The law will secure further state subsidies for them, but will complicate the possibility to abandon fossil fuels for families and municipalities,” Kozelouh added.

The Alliance for Energy Self-Sufficiency and Czech Photovoltaic Industrial Association (CZEPHO) said in a joint statement that the law aimed to boost the start of production of clean energy will paradoxically turn into a subsidy mechanism for coal and gas burning and for the construction of waste incinerators because of the gradual drop in support to new renewable sources…… http://praguemonitor.com/2013/08/19/activists-criticise-law-renewable-energy-industry-hails-it