Executive Director meets with Czech Minister of Industry and Trade

PRAGUE – Dr Fatih Birol, the International Energy Agency’s Executive Director met with Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Mr Tomáš Hüner in Prague today, and reviewed developments in global energy markets and their implications for the Czech Republic.

Minister Hüner highlighted the unbiased, all-fuels analysis of the IEA. Dr Birol noted that the IEA is opening its doors to major developing countries, as no country is an energy island and all countries need each other for a clean and secure energy future. Dr Birol and Minister Hüner discussed the need for all energy sources in a clean energy future, including modern renewables and biomass, energy efficiency and in some cases nuclear.

Minister Hüner expressed interest in expanding the collaboration between the Czech Republic and the IEA, in particular exploring the potential offered by the IEA’s Technology Collaboration Programs (TCP), specifically the Bioenergy TCP that aims to accelerate the production and use of sustainable and cost competitive biomass for energy.

Mr Hüner hosted a lunch for the Executive Director, which was attended by Hana Rambousková, Acting Deputy Minister for the Energy of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ambassador Petr Gandalovič, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and Mr Aad van Bohemen, Head of Energy Policy and Security Division at the IEA. 

During his visit, Dr Birol also presented key findings from the World Energy Outlook to a gathering of Czech energy stakeholders, government officials and diplomats from IEA Members and IEA Association countries. In his presentation, Dr Birolunderscored how electrification and digitalisation would affect the global energy system, creating new opportunities as well as risks that policy makers must address. The Executive Director also highlighted the growing importance of the United States and Australia as exporters of LNG that will not only accelerate a shift towards a more flexible, liquid global market but will also contribute to more diversified gas supplies in Europe and elsewhere.

The Executive Director’s visit to Prague ended with a joint press conference with Minister Hüner.