The paper addresses the issue of community energy development and barriers to its
implementation in practice. It is the result of a content analysis of literature and other strategic and conceptual
materials, and 15 expert interviews conducted in three selected municipalities and cities. It concludes that
there are financial, legal, knowledge and, last but not least, administrative barriers that hinder the development
of community energy in the Czech Republic. If the municipalities and towns, in cooperation with the regional
and state administration, manage to remove them, the development of community energy can be expected
in the future, as the Czech Republic has considerable development potential. If cities and towns, in
cooperation with regional and state administrations, manage to remove these barriers effectively, we can
expect a significant development of community energy in the Czech Republic in the future. Municipal
renewable energy sources represent more affordable energy, independent of imports of energy raw materials
from abroad. Municipalities and cities can thus strengthen their energy independence, self-sufficiency and
security. Overall, municipal energy contributes to greater resilience of municipalities and cities to external
threats. Another reason is the economic benefits. Renewable energy is generally cheaper to produce, and
cities and their residents can save on energy costs. Moreover, energy payments stay in the city instead of
flowing out of the region, which can strengthen the local economy
