Sharing solar energy between the region, the city, and other partners will bring annual savings of more than CZK 12 million and significantly strengthen the region's energy self-sufficiency. The Energy and Water Innovation Cluster (EWIC) played a key role as coordinator of the technical, economic, and legal aspects of the project.

Energetické společenství Východní Čechy (ES VČ) was officially established at the inaugural meeting of members, with the Pardubice Region joining together with the city of Pardubice, hospitals, schools, and other institutions. A total of 32 members are involved – 20 from the region, 8 from the city, and 4 from the private sector.

According to Governor Martin Netolický, the project is a breakthrough in energy management: "Shared electricity will enable us to reduce costs by approximately CZK 12 million per year. We can invest these funds back into education, healthcare, and social services," he said.

The preparations included an extensive technical and economic study and legal analysis, which confirmed the feasibility and benefits of the project. EWIC ensured comprehensive coordination of the entire process – from consumption and production modeling to drafting statutes and setting sharing rules. The results show that the energy community will not only bring significant financial savings, but also environmental benefits in the form of a lower carbon footprint and a higher degree of self-sufficiency.

"Thanks to the fair sharing of surpluses among members, we will obtain more stable and cleaner energy for our region. This is an important step towards modern and sustainable energy," added František Brendl, Chairman of the Committee on Energy, Information Technology, and Digitalization.

The establishment of ES VČ is being implemented with the support of the Modernization Fund and the National Recovery Plan. In the future, there are plans to expand to additional consumption points and involve other partners from the public and private sectors.