While households are struggling to pay their rising energy bills, energy companies are reporting record profits. Energy prices relative to purchasing power in the Czech Republic are among the highest in Europe: one in ten people in the country has trouble paying their energy bills. And in northern Bohemia, where wages and savings are lowest, this inequality is even more visible.

Community energy enables households to share renewable energy among themselves, thereby reducing their dependence on large energy companies. However, people at risk of energy poverty often lack sufficient initial investment and are excluded from community energy projects.

We want those who cannot afford their own solar panels to be able to switch to electricity from renewable sources. That is why we established the Žárovka (Light Bulb) energy community in Děčín. We bring together local households that have decided to share cleaner energy and reduce their costs, which they can then return to the region. 

So far, there are five households living in Děčín. We live in rented and owned properties, in apartments and family homes, with and without children. We are united not only by our desire to produce, use, and share renewable energy, but also by the desire to participate in the democratic management of our resources and the development of our community. This strengthens the independence, self-sufficiency, and resilience of the region. 

We are testing the community energy model ourselves so that we can subsequently offer support to other communities that decide to follow this path. We have compiled our experiences in a brochure Community Energy for All: The Story of Building an Energy Community in the Ústí Region.