Public policy challenges in the domains of energy, environmental and economic sustainability: insights from Czechia

The energy policy of the European Union aims to achieve carbon-neutral and sustainable energy while preserving the quality of life. Using two case studies from the EU country Czechia, this study develops a general procedure for evaluating the inefficiency of selected environmental investments aimed at renewable energy production. First, the economic and environmental benefits of photothermal and photovoltaic solar collectors were compared. The result showed the necessity of planning the share of both types of collectors due to the risk of inefficiencies in accordance with the form of energy demanded. For an area of 60 m2, the difference in annual energy yield can reach up to 35.4 MWh. Secondly, the potential risks of economic and environmental inefficiencies in the production of electricity from biomass through a biogas plant were researched. In many cases, unused energy production is a source of economic and environmental inefficiency, which can represent savings of up to € 1000,000 and more than 2000 tons of CO2 per year for a typical biogas plant. The identified inefficiencies are also contrary to the European Commission's efficiency requirements, which poses a challenge, especially for national public policy makers.