More and more municipalities are seeking ways to reduce energy costs, improve the efficiency of public building operations, and contribute to environmental protection. With increasing pressure on sustainability and energy stability, the concept of community energy is gaining prominence—a model that enables the sharing of renewable energy among multiple entities. The foundation lies in the principle of local production and consumption, where energy is generated and used in the same place.
Pilot Project for Municipal Buildings
As part of one of our projects, we prepared a model for community electricity sharing for a town in the South Bohemian Region. The system involved 27 consumption points and 6 photovoltaic power plants (PV systems) with an annual production of approximately 184 MWh. The project’s goal was to use the energy produced on the roofs of schools, offices, sports facilities, and other municipal buildings as efficiently as possible and minimize feed-in to the distribution grid.
The project was based on the principle of active customers— a simple form of community sharing that does not require the creation of a new legal entity. This approach is ideal for small and medium-sized towns and municipalities because it allows for quick implementation, low operating costs, and immediate savings. Based on data analysis, we created three groups of active customers, set up a sharing algorithm, and evaluated results in terms of savings and grid stability.
Measurable Benefits and Inspiration for Other Towns
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Related topics
Community energy
Energy community
Active customer
The analysis showed that 38% of the electricity produced is consumed directly in buildings with installed PV systems, 35% is shared among other consumption points, and only 27% is fed into the distribution grid. It is estimated that this setup covers about 28% of the total consumption of the connected buildings and generates annual financial savings exceeding CZK 180,000.
In addition to cost savings, the project delivers broader benefits—it reduces CO₂ emissions, strengthens energy stability, and fosters local cooperation among municipal institutions. It demonstrates that even smaller towns can play an important role in the transition toward sustainable energy management and serve as examples of good practice for other local governments.
Our Role and Next Steps
Gatum Group participated in the analytical phase, technical model design, and evaluation of economic impacts. The resulting model allows for further expansion—for example, adding new buildings, incorporating battery storage systems, or transitioning to a full-fledged energy community.
Implementing community energy is not just about technology but about thoughtful cooperation, trust, and the ability to view energy as a shared resource. And that is precisely the direction we wish to continue pursuing together with municipalities.
