The year 2025 proved unfavourable for trading activities. Since the new US administration took office, an unpredictable ‘storm’ of tariffs has raged. The markets were unable to cope with this – and we were no exception. There were sharp fluctuations in energy commodity prices simply on the basis of Donald Trump’s comments on Twitter or in reaction to a newspaper headline, even though the latter contained no new information. A very unfortunate period.

Rudolf Jakubík joined MND by chance in 1977. After his military service, he worked in a bank, where, during a tour, he met the head of the information systems department at the MND in Hodonín among the visitors. One thing led to another, a job offer came along, and even a higher salary. Although the promised computers remained more of a dream for the time being, Ruda took a step that changed his life for the next 49 years.

Although 2025 was by no means an easy year for MND’s storage companies, as the prediction that developments in the gas market could have a negative impact on the storage capacity market proved entirely accurate, all three of our storage companies successfully met their targets and thus managed to generate the expected added value.

KKCG founder and Chairman of the Board Karel Komárek has confirmed our commitment to Ukraine on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the war. Take a moment to revisit our support for local businesses and communities – and why it is so essential not only to continue this support, but also to stand openly behind it.

Renewable energy sources have become a key topic in recent years. Everyone is familiar with solar and wind power plants, but there is another source that stands out for its stability, reliability and minimal dependence on weather conditions. However, it is not talked about as much
. Geothermal energy – heat accumulated in the Earth's crust – is one of the most promising types of clean energy, especially at a time when the need for stable, low-emission sources is growing.

The MND Group is completing preparations for its first large battery storage facility, BESS Břeclav, with a capacity of 12 MW. When it goes into operation, it will be the largest stand-alone battery project in the Czech Republic and one of the most important milestones in MND's new energy strategy. We spoke with Roman Kroutil, project manager from the New Business Development team, about how the storage facility will work, why now is the ideal time to invest in batteries, and how he got into this field himself.

When we hear the term "chief energy officer," most of us imagine a person surrounded by tables and graphs, checking whether the numbers add up and consumption matches the plan. In the case of Tomáš Báborský, MND's new chief energy officer, however, the reality is much more colourful.