In light of the British government’s push for ecological energy, through for example the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and the decision to close all coal power plants by 2025. It is predicted that in the coming few years the British government will invest roughly 180 billion pounds in cleaner energy. To help to achieve these important goals, many Czech companies have come to the UK to provide technologies and supplies for the renewable energy sector. Czech companies can already be found supplying turbines to many small hydropower plants, as well as installing Czech biomass boilers and heat pumps, or more recently devices used for gathering energy from plastic waste.

All Energy renewable energy fair, which took place on the 2-3^rd of May 2018 in Glasgow, brought six Czech firms to showcase their unique technologies and create business partnerships with British firms. They did so by holding a seminar titled "Patented Technologies to Revolutionise Your Renewable Business", which was opened by the Economic Counsellor of the Czech Embassy in London and moderated by a representative of the London office of Czech Trade.

Each company gave a short presentation of themselves, starting with the firm FITCRAFT ENERGY, producer of well-known innovative energy storage facilities, used in several countries around the world, including through the British Humanitarian Aid. Next was the company GENTEC, which produces and supplies cogeneration units, used for the generation of electricity and useful heat jointly. Their smallest units, for example, can effectively power the energy needs of residential houses. The company HEDVIGA also impressed in Glasgow with its detailed 3D model of its own device used for garnering energy from waste. The process consists of thermally breaking down various types of waste and transforming the result into solid, liquid or gaseous fuel, which can be further used by fuelling power units (pyrolisis). One such device supplied by Hedviga is already in full operation by a British manufacturer in London (Rainham). The advantage of Hedviga’s technologies includes modular solutions, which allow for a fast assembly to production process, be it in communal waste collection areas or installation on ships with the goal of reducing plastic waste in the oceans. Another Czech company in Scotland was SIMETI, which presented its innovative solution for micro-power plants. By applying a direct connection between turbines and generators the flow of energy can be more silent, thus preventing the loss of energy through excessive vibrations and allowing for above average energy gains. SIMETI also offered so-called island systems (grid-offs), specifically for distant rural areas and fish farms, which guarantee energy self-sufficiency even for areas lacking access to energy networks. The firm SMART HEATING TECHNOLOGY, already having been successful in Britain, offered its renowned automatic biomass boilers, accumulation tanks and ecological energy units useful in extreme situations. Lastly the traditional Czech producer of mechanical gearboxes WIKOV showcased its engineering and production capabilities, which have already found success in the UK in the past, namely by the supply of gearboxes to a trial tidal power plant.

Shortly before the fair in Glasgow there was yet a further success story of a Czech renewable energy company cooperating with UK partners worth noting. In the nearby village of Dalavich, a small hydropower plant on the river Avich supplied by the Czech company CINK HYDRO ENERGY formally inaugurated by a minister of the Scottish government. The profit from the Dalavich power plant will flow solely towards the budget of the local municipality. The power plants serviced by CINK HYDRO ENERGY offer not only automatic functioning, but also the possibility of remote control through the Internet and a user interface which shows current performance and electricity production. It is no wonder therefore that in the past 10 years Cink has supplied over 30 various turbines to small and medium sized hydro power plants around Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Another Czech firm, with a longstanding relationship on the British market is HYDROHROM. Similar to Cink, they specialise with supplying technological equipment for hydropower plants, and in the past 15 years they have supplied nearly 40 turbines in Great Britain and Ireland.

Prague-based HYDROPOL, focused on the realisation and construction of hydropower plants, similarly has a long history of successful projects in Great Britain and Ireland. For example, in 2018, Hydropol obtained the rights to the construction of two hydropower plants in Wales – the full value of which will amount to 12 million pounds. Both power plants will be a part of the reservoir Elan Valley, which supplies drinking water to Birmingham and Swansea.

The amount of successfully undertaken Czech projects in the British energy sector thus highlights the competitive capabilities of Czech low-carbon energy solutions, and above all helps in creating a better environment thanks to the growth of renewable energy sources.

Aleš Opatrný, Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Czech Embassy in London