Updated energy policy of the Czech Republic may result in instability of the electricity grid in Central Europe

Brown coal is the resource used for generating half of the electricity and most of the heat that is distributed over the public network in the Czech Republic, which is one of the largest exporters of electricity in Europe. As a result of public call for cleaner energy sources, the energy policy of the Czech Republic has been updated recently. The government act calls for significant decrease in brown coal mining. Prediction of material flow analysis for the entire energy sector of the Czech Republic till 2040 was carried out. The data revealed mounting evidence indicating that the novel energy policy proposed was too ambitious which may affect the stability of the power grid in the surrounding countries. Worse still, it appears that after 2025, the Czech energy sector will be in short supply of limestone, which is likely to result in lower levels of flue gas desulphurization or limestone mining in protected landscape areas. It is concluded that further diversification of local energy resources is advisable to avoid unwanted negative environmental impacts.