Highly competitive markets and depressed prices are not generally regarded as conducive to successful business endeavours. In the Czech Republic, however, it is these factors precisely that have allowed new players to gain a foothold in the energy market. In 2004, the Czech Republic adopted an innovative energy policy that made it one of a handful of countries in the world to offer a competitive market for electricity and natural gas, where customers are free to change providers at will. This, coupled with low energy prices on both spot and futures markets, has been key to the success of new energy companies like Centropol Energy, a.s., headquartered in the city of Ústí nad Labem.