The Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic has announced that it will be supporting agri-PV systems with 300 million crowns (about €13 million), while a further 200 million crowns (about €8 million) is still under consideration. Funding is being made available through a Modernisation Fund call for proposals focused on system installation. Eligibility is restricted to land registered in the LIPS system, the national geographic information database for agricultural land.
Eligible systems must also be connected to the distribution grid or, in certain cases, the transmission grid. As part of the programme, the Ministry is supporting the integration of storage solutions to enhance supply flexibility and strengthen energy security for farming operations.
Reducing pressure on other land
The main advantage for farmers is the ability to use their land for dual purposes. They will also remain eligible for agricultural subsidies after installing an agri-PV system. “We want Czech agriculture to be competitive and resilient to both climate and energy challenges,” says Environment Minister Petr Hadlík. “Agri-PV is a major opportunity for Czech agriculture and the country’s energy supply. It allows for the production of clean energy while still enabling crop cultivation.”
Hadlík emphasises the substantial benefits of agri-PV: “It significantly increases the overall productivity of land, protecting crops from extreme weather, improving the microclimate and boosting independence, as well as reducing energy costs,” he explains. “A key advantage is that it relieves pressure to build solar parks on open or environmentally sensitive land, since these areas can continue to be farmed and managed.”
The Czech government has recently broadened the criteria for agri-PV systems. Installations are now permitted over orchards, vineyards, hop fields and other permanent crops. Farmers may also cover vegetable plots with solar modules if cultivation is highly labour-intensive – a condition that applies to most vegetable varieties grown in the Czech Republic. The updated rules also support the integration of battery storage. The next step will be to allow vertical installation of solar modules.
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A long-term contribution to energy supply
The programme supports systems with a capacity of at least ten kilowatts. Farmers can receive up to 30 percent of their installation investment costs. “The actual subsidy depends on the specific parameters of each project, such as the installed PV capacity, total project cost and potential battery storage capacity,” explains Petr Valdman, Director of the State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic. “Our aim is to encourage applicants to install solutions that provide a sustained contribution to both energy and agriculture.”
Dual land use – read our agri-PV special issue
Farmers can apply to the State Environmental Fund until 30 October 2027, but are advised to act promptly as grants will be awarded only while funds remain available. Projects that meet the criteria but cannot be funded due to depleted resources will be placed on a waiting list and considered if additional funding is released. Once a grant is awarded, recipients have up to three years from the Ministry’s decision to commission their systems.
Further information on the funding programme as well as all application details can be found on the website of the State Environmental Fund in Prague. (su)
