Development of the alternative energy market: case of central Europe

ENThe paper presents an analysis of the development of the alternative energy market between 2010 and 2022 in seven Central European countries, namely Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Analyzing changes in electricity generation from hydro, solar, wind and bioresources makes it possible to comprehensively assess trends in the development of alternative energy. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe are economically and climatically similar to Ukraine, so studying the development of their renewable energy is of scientific value for the drafting of both Ukrainian and European energy strategies in the context of the transforming global energy system. Additionally, the article discusses the impact of renewable energy development on the labor market, outlining potential challenges and threats to regional labor markets. Research conclusions confirm the practical development and effective implementation of RES in the European energy system, even in countries that do not take the lead in generating energy from renewable sources, i.e., in Central Europe. Keywords: alternative energy, renewable energy sources (RES), bioenergy, wind energy, hydropower, solar energy, energy consumption, Central Europe.