Electricity Costs to Fall as Driving expenses Rise โUnder โNew Emissions Permit System
PRAGUE โฃ – Czech householdsโ face a shifting โeconomic landscape as a new emissions permit system is poised to make electricity cheaper while โขtogether increasingโ the cost of driving, according to energy expert martin ล ฤรกk. โขThe changes, stemming โคfrom the introduction of โขallowances for โคcarbon emissions, are expected toโฃ disproportionately impact โฃthose reliant on fossil fuels for โขboth transportation and heating.
ล ฤรกk, who founded the energy group Amper Holding after a career in economics โขat Charles University and ฤSOB, โฃexplained that the goal is toโข direct funds generated from the permit system to thoseโฃ most โคaffected, avoiding โaid to wealthier individuals โฃwho haveโ already โฃinvested in energy efficiency and โelectric vehicles. He suggested a โpotential “motorcycle voucher” system – a direct refund for increased travel costs – could be implemented โขfor individualsโ heavilyโ reliant onโฃ cars.
While โขthe Ministry of the Environment โฃestimates the cost of a โpermit at โฌ45, ล ฤรกk cautions thatโค inflation โcould push the price to โฌ60 or even higher,โ potentially reachingโฃ โฌ100-200. He warned that even at the current exchange rate of โฌ65, the impact โwill be โขsignificant for many, potentially costingโ households “tensโข of thousands [Czech crowns] โฃless โper year.”
The financialโ burden will be unevenly distributed,โ withโฃ drivers of diesel or gasoline vehicles and those heatingโค with coal โfacing the most substantial increases. ล ฤรกk notedโ the Ministry’s study is “optimistic”โ in its price projections.
