Above all, however, it explains why there are no simple solutions in the energy sector today and why systematic thinking, working with data, and the courage to embrace complexity are the keys to long-term success.
The year 2025 is behind us. What kind of year was it for ORGREZ?
It was a challenging year. I say that quite openly. At the same time, however, it was extremely dynamic. The turning point began in 2023 and 2024, when the development of renewable energy sources caused fundamental changes in the energy market and significantly increased its complexity. At that time, we decided not to view this situation as a threat, but as one of the greatest opportunities to emerge in the energy sector in recent years.
In the context of new European directives and regulations, we decided that we wanted to actively seek an answer to the question: What new and meaningful can we offer the market? We already introduced some of these services in 2025, but 2026 will be a particularly turbulent year. The work we did in 2024 and 2025 will now begin to bear fruit.
Which projects or initiatives do you consider to be the most important – whether in terms of their impact on clients or the future direction of the entire group?
I have to go back in time a little, because a number of key steps did not begin in 2025. Historically, the ORGREZ group has been very strong in the areas of measurement, diagnostics, operational records, greening, and increasing the efficiency of energy operations. That was our solid foundation. In recent years, however, we decided to take a major step: to offer our clients comprehensive energy consulting. This means being with them from the very beginning – from the preparation of feasibility studies, project documentation, and documentation for the selection of suppliers – to the actual implementation and operation.
This is why we established a separate company, ORGREZ ECO, which focuses on the early stages of projects, and why we acquired EVECO Brno, which now acts as an EPC contractor within the group. We have also recently launched a trading division, specifically targeted at our clients, under the ORGREZ Trade brand.
What does this mean for customers in practice?
It means that we are now able to cover the entire energy cycle—from planning and construction to operation and energy trading. This allows us to better understand our clients' real needs and view their projects in a broader context. Everything fits together and functions as a single interconnected whole. I consider this to be absolutely crucial for the future direction of the ORGREZ group.
You also mentioned distribution. Why is this so important today?
We have long viewed the energy sector from the perspective of resources – we monitor their position in the market and the problems they face. This naturally led us to the distribution of electricity, which is currently under enormous pressure. Distribution systems are overwhelmed with requests to connect new sources. Capacities are limited and the situation is becoming increasingly complicated. That is why we have invested heavily in restructuring services focused on connecting sources to the distribution system.
At the end of 2025, for example, we introduced UPOS–UTP tests in accordance with EU RfG regulations, which all new sources of electrical energy must comply with. Logically, this follows on from our role as a certification authority for systems providing ancillary services for ČEPS and non-frequency ancillary services for distribution. Once again, the aim is to offer clients a comprehensive package of services and help them navigate the complex process without unnecessary dead ends.
How successful was the company in fulfilling its long-term strategy in 2025?
Very well. When I joined ORGREZ in 2022, one of the main tasks was to reduce the company's dependence on coal and open up to new technologies. Today, more than half of our offers and orders are directed outside the coal sector – to modern, renewable, or transitional energy. From a financial perspective, we have managed to maintain the company's stability despite a massive change in strategy and high investments. I consider this a very good sign. We have also gained the support of the state and the European Union for several development projects, which is absolutely essential in these areas – without investment, innovation in energy is not possible.
Can you give a specific example of a project that is proving to be ahead of its time?
A typical example is green heating under the ORGREZ ECO brand. When we were preparing this concept in 2021 and 2022, the economics were not yet entirely convincing. But even then, we could see where the market was heading. Today, the decline in electricity prices on the daily market is beginning to take full effect, with negative prices even appearing. This is a huge challenge—but at the same time an opportunity for Green Heating. And we were ready for it. This confirms that long-term thinking and the courage to invest ahead make sense.
So where do you see the greatest opportunities for further progress?
Definitely in distribution. There is a lot of public debate about what we will use to produce energy – coal, gas, photovoltaics. But there is much less talk about what is happening in the distribution system. In the Czech Republic, we have about 100,000 transformers that were designed for relatively stable operation – energy flowed mainly in one direction, from large sources to consumption. Today, the situation is completely different: we have sources and consumers practically at every turn, and the flow of energy is constantly changing, and in leaps and bounds.
This puts enormous dynamic stress on equipment that was not historically designed for this. We don't have decades of operational data behind us, so we don't know exactly what this will do to the equipment. And this is where I see a great challenge and opportunity: monitoring, working with data, new prognostic models. This is one of the key areas we are focusing on intensively.
What technological innovations have had the greatest impact on ORGREZ's work in 2025?
We have begun to cautiously work with LLM models and artificial intelligence tools, but maximum caution is necessary in technical practice, especially due to sensitive data. Everything must be anonymous and secure. However, I do not consider any one "miracle" technology to be essential. I see the biggest shift in the integration of all our activities into a single functional whole. For example, trading refines our inputs for feasibility studies, project implementation gives us realistic data on deadlines and operations – and everything enriches each other. Energy is an extremely complex field. There is no universal "panacea." Artificial simplification of real problems in energy tends to slow us down today. The key is systematic, disciplined work and the ability to see things in context.
What major challenges do you expect in 2026?
2026 will be about implementation. We need to bring trading to where we have strategically planned it to be. At the same time, we are facing significant development in the areas of distribution and data analytics. That is why we founded ORGREZ DATA, a company that focuses on working with data across the entire group. This allows us to base our decisions on real data, rather than assumptions or outdated empirical models. This significantly increases our ability to respond to market dynamics.
What made you happiest last year?
The presentation of our trading service to a major client. We built trading as a specialized tool for heating and corporate energy, and we confirmed that we had really thought of all the connections. For me personally, it was an important "penetration test" of the whole concept, where we verified that we had really thought of everything and that we had not underestimated anything.
What would you wish your colleagues, partners, and clients for the new year?
That we rely more on expert, qualified decisions and less on emotions. That we are not afraid of change, but are able to engage in critical yet respectful debate about it. ,,There is no single silver bullet, it's only silver buckshot". Progress comes gradually, through daily work, small steps on multiple fronts.
And that's where I see the meaning of our work—moving a little further every day. For our clients, for our people, and for society as a whole.