Czechia added 295 MW of solar during the first half of 2026 (H1), according to figures released by Czech solar association Solární Asociace.

The figure is below the 357 MW deployed over the first half of 2025. It takes cumulative capacity to around 5.8 GW, building on the 5.5 GW that were deployed by the end of last year.

Solární Asociace attributes this year’s market slowdown to a decrease in residential installations, which account for around 50 MW of H1 installations.

“The completed projects are largely projects financed by the New Green for Savings program from last year,” the association explains. “The decline is due to the suspension of the offered support, and those interested in their own photovoltaics have been waiting in recent months to see whether the program will be renewed and under what conditions.”

In contrast, Czechia’s C&I solar market continues to grow and is now the country’s dominant solar market. This market segment added 246 MW of solar in H1, with commercial customers turning to solar solutions to reduce expenses and move away from fluctuating energy prices.

Solární Asociace adds that the growing C&I market is the reason why the average size of new projects in Czechia continues to grow, now standing at around 31.5 kW, up from 11.7 kW in 2023.

Czechia’s utility-scale solar market is currently plagued by unpredictable permitting processes and misinformation surrounding the construction of new renewable sources, Solární Asociace’s analysis adds, yet it continues to develop slowly. 

The association added that several larger projects, created either within power purchase agreements or alongside battery storage facilities, are expected to be completed this year.

Looking towards the full year, Jan Krčmář, the association’s executive director, told pv magazine Czechia is likely to deploy between 650 MW and 700 MW of solar across 2026, thanks to the expected commissioning of some utility-scale projects. He added that the residential market may pick up slightly, but not significantly.

Krčmář also shared that Solární Asociace has been warning for a long time that it is necessary to set up sustainable support for new solar installations.

“We support the transition from classic subsidies, however, interested parties who do not qualify for an interest-free loan should be able to carry out the installation without restrictions,” he said. “It is therefore necessary to find another form of support, which could be a VAT reduction for photovoltaics, similar to that in neighboring countries.”

“The Czech market can no longer afford another similar several-month outage of new installations,” Krčmář added. “The impacts are also being felt by installation companies, which have paid the price for the long pause and postponement of the launch of interest-free loans.” 

Krčmář also emphasized that better conditions for developing utility-scale projects will be key to decarbonizing industry.

“An amendment to the Building Act could make the situation easier. However, the discussion on the introduction of so-called Contracts for Difference for new solar power plants will also be important, where a low but stable lower purchase price is set. If the market price is below the set limit, the state makes up the difference,” he explained. “We greatly appreciate that the Ministry of Industry and Trade is ready to lead a debate on this model.”

While growth in Czechia’s solar market is slowing, its battery storage market is beginning to develop rapidly. The country deployed 318 MWh of new battery capacity in H1, an 83% increase compared to the first half of last year.

Earlier this year, Krčmář spoke to pv magazine at the Smarter E event in Munich, Germany, about the challenges facing Czechia’s solar market.