Mapping energy vulnerability in the Czech Republic: combined perspectives

A complex set of social demands energy systems have to address today led many to consider the state as a stakeholder of public interest, rather than just a rule setter and legal force in competitive energy markets (Goldthau, 2012). Various efforts to steer society towards a lower carbon future have been examined recently, asking whether we leave somebody behind, who is left behind, and what we can do to come up with more accountable solutions in terms of greater access to clean and affordable energy (Primc et al., 2021). Besides other issues, energy poverty and energy vulnerability have been gaining importance as issues deserving continuous attention. Albeit still “hard to grasp for policy-makers” (Dubois, 2021) due to its multidimensional, cross-sectional, and overall dynamic character, recent development indicates growing effort inside the EU and on the level of some of its member states to tackle the issue. The recent development is important. Firstly, non-recognition of energy poverty/vulnerability can lead to non-existent or less effective alleviation policies, “thereby helping structure and reproduce geographical distributive inequalities” (Bouzarovski & Simcock, 2017). Secondly, it is well documented, that triggers of energy poverty/vulnerability can be manifold, including those stemming from the structural level (Koďousková et al., forthcoming). Specific attention has been given to central-heating-energy-poverty linkage as households are often trapped in unsatisfactory conditions with limited possibility for change (Buzar, 2007; Tirado Herrero & Ürge-Vorsatz, 2012; Poputoaia & Bouzarovski, 2010). Our contribution fits into the ideas mentioned above. The intended transformation of the central heating system in the Czech Republic led to debates about its social impacts. At the same time, it has become clear how little we know about energy poverty and energy vulnerability in the country, which proved to be rather unprepared for rising energy prices and unprecedented bankruptcy of major energy providers. In our contribution, we start with shedding light on how “energy vulnerability” is usually understood in the Czech debate and what are the pitfalls of such an understanding. Next, we demonstrate how we work with the concept concerning the intended DH transformation. In line with a mainstream academic understanding of energy vulnerability and inspired by several studies from abroad, we build an “energy vulnerability index” modified to mirror the Czech context. With the help of fuzzy cluster analysis, we create a map of the most vulnerable places to better understand energy vulnerability´s socio-spatial occurrence. We discuss the strong points and limits of the macro-level analysis and combine its results with preliminary findings gained at the local level (case studies). We conclude with a broader reflection of a combined macro/micro level analysis usefulness to “assist energy planners in making more informed energy choices” (Sovacool & Dworkin, 2015).