Vývoj energetického trhu v ČR mezi roky 2015-2022

The thesis presents an analysis of the factors that contributed to the increase in electricity prices for end consumers between 2015 and 2022. The theoretical part of the thesis summarizes the characteristics of the energy market with an emphasis on the methods of regulation in the energy sector, introduces the main actors in the electricity market and the legislation that protects the energy sector. It also includes economic theories that focus on regulation. The practical part of the thesis analyses the various factors that have contributed to changes in the electricity market. These include European climate agreements, developments in the natural gas market, the price of emission allowances, the shift away from fossil fuels, the war in Ukraine and others. These factors have caused electricity prices to rise, culminating in the outbreak of the energy crisis in 2022. The practical part of the paper analyses the price regulation of the electricity market in the Czech Republic and compares it with the approaches of Germany, Poland and Slovakia. Energy-related issues are currently resonating strongly throughout society. Discussions on security of energy supply, prices and the future of energy play a significant role in economic policy. In view of the current energy crisis, the geopolitical situation and the ever-increasing concern for the environment, there is an urgent need to find new strategies to ensure sufficient energy for citizens at affordable prices. The analysis confirms the stated hypothesis, which is: Exogenous factors had the most significant impact on the increase in electricity prices for consumers in the Czech Republic. The data show that the biggest contributor to the rise in electricity prices in recent years has been climate agreements, which have led the Czech Republic to increase the share of alternative energy sources in the energy mix and to close coal-fired power plants. This is also linked to rising prices of emission allowances. The war in Ukraine has caused an energy crisis to erupt in an already very tight energy market across the EU. A comparison of regulatory approaches between CR, DE, PL and SK shows that although these countries regulate prices using different approaches, the main factors influencing the final price are the national approaches to the transition to clean energy and the speed of meeting emission targets.