Ukraine is exploring ways to develop sustainable energy

What are the policy changes needed to overcome the political, legal, regulatory, institutional and technical barriers to the development of renewables in Ukraine? What needs to change for the private sector to invest in sustainable energy? How to stimulate investments for renewables to reach 11% of Ukraine’s total energy consumption by 2020, the target set by the government in the adopted National Renewable Energy Action?  These were some of the key questions discussed at the Renewable Energy Hard Talk on “New Possibilities for Developing Sustainable Energy in Ukraine” in Kiev on 16 December.

The event was organised by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) and UNECE, with the support of the Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, showing the significance of the issue of a sustainable energy future for members of parliament. 

Substituting natural gas with renewable energy and energy efficiency is part of the government’s energy security strategy. It is estimated that this will require EUR 16 billion in renewable energy investments by 2020 to meet the 11% target.

Mr. Valeriy Pysarenko, Member of Parliament & Vice Chairman of the Expert Groups for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the UNECE Sustainable Energy Committee said: "Nowadays it is possible to convert the entire world to clean renewable energy as there are no technological obstacles. It is exactly the time for a renewable energy policy. In this regard, the deployment of alternative energy will also be the test of our ability to unite our country and it can become the standard around which we build our future. By developing renewable energy, we will facilitate the energy independence of our country, while at the same time, following global world trends."

During the debates, which gathered over 70 representatives from policy and decision-makers, energy companies, NGOs, academia and the private sector, recommendations were made for jumpstarting investments in renewable energy, improving a projects’ bankability and simplifying procedures in project development.

The preliminary findings of the REN21 UNECE Renewable Energy Status Report 2017 were also presented with a view to highlighting progress made, latest trends and emerging issues to be tackled.  The REN21 UNECE Renewable Energy Status Report, published in 2015 formed a useful background document for the event.  “This event is very timely because governments of South East and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia advanced well in developing targets and policies to promote the diverse renewable energy sources that are abundant across the region. Viewed from a global perspective, however, these developments remain marginal and greater project deployment and investment flows are needed to catch up with global renewable energy market development” said Christine Lins, Executive Secretary of REN21.

“The UNECE report shows that attracting investment remains an issue for renewable energy development in the region. Renewable energy resources offer a way to reduce the net carbon intensity of energy, improve energy security, and encourage economic development.  Wider uptake of renewables will require countries to address barriers to their deployment without resorting to long-term subsidies, to implement stable long-term energy policy that enables a sustainable energy system, and to deploy innovative and targeted financial mechanisms. Policies should be designed in light of the economic circumstances and development challenges of countries with renewable energy potential” said Scott Foster, Director, UNECE’s Sustainable Energy Division.

As a result of this Hard Talk, renewed commitments were taken by the relevant national authorities to ensure that, following the adoption of the law on the electricity market, further regulatory measures will be developed to support large-scale renewables deployment for both power generation and heating (including Combined Heat and Power Plants - CHPs).