As a result of the war with Russia, Ukraine has suffered losses in the renewable energy sector, but the experience of developing this industry in 2015-2019 shows that it can become an attractive investment. Current EU climate policy requirements and global trends in sustainable development only confirm this potential. According to the NEURC, as of December 31, 2021, Ukraine had an installed renewable energy capacity of 9,655.9 MW (Konechenkov & Omeljchenko, 2022).

In 2021, the share of electricity generated from renewable energy sources amounted to 8.1% or 12.8 TWh. Of this amount, 56% was generated by solar energy, 33% by wind energy, almost 8% by biomass and biogas combustion, and 3% by small hydropower (Konechenkov & Omeljchenko, 2022). Therefore, the development of renewable energy should be a key factor in the recovery of the Ukrainian economy and ensuring the country's energy security.

The real way to ensure energy security is to develop renewable energy sources, not nuclear power. The events of recent months show the need to restructure the energy sector and decarbonize it. By 2030, at least 45% of electricity should come from renewable sources, and the share of renewable energy sources in the final use of energy, including transportation and heating, should be at least 35% (Krynycjkyj, 2022).

A new green industrial partnership between Ukraine and the EU is needed to rapidly deploy solar and wind technologies across the country. This partnership will help create the market confidence needed to attract investment.

A renewable energy partnership between Ukraine and the EU would open up new opportunities for the whole of Europe (Vyshnycjka, 2023). In the short term, it will help Ukraine recover from the war and rebuild its energy sector and economy. In the medium term, it will allow for a sharp reduction in emissions from the energy sector, a gradual phase-out of coal by the early 2030s, and the safe decommissioning of nuclear power plants as energy storage technologies and solutions to increase grid flexibility become more widely available. For example, the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035 envisages the possibility of reaching a 25% share of renewable energy sources by 2035, as they will develop the fastest compared to other sources of generation.

References:

1. Konechenkov, A., Omeljchenko, V. (2022, 22 November). Sektor vidnovljuvanoji energhetyky Ukrajiny do, pid chas ta pislja vijny [Ukraine’s renewable energy sector before, during and after the war]. Razumkov centr. Retrieved from https://razumkov.org.ua/statti/sektor-vidnovlyuvanoyi-energetyky-ukrayiny-do-pid-chas-ta-pislya-viyny

2. Krynycjkyj, K. (2022, 21 April). Vidnovljuvana energhetyka – kljuch do vidbudovy ekonomiky ta energhetychnoji nezalezhnosti Ukrajiny [Renewable energy is the key to economic recovery and energy independence in Ukraine]. Ekonomichna pravda. Retrieved from https://www.epravda.com.ua/columns/2022/04/21/686045/index.amp

3. Vyshnycjka, A. (2023, 22 February). Chomu vidnovljuvana energhetyka — ce zaporuka bezpeky dlja Ukrajiny pid chas ta pislja vijny [Why renewable energy is a guarantee of security for Ukraine during and after the war]. Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung. Retrieved from https://ua.boell.org/uk/2023/02/22/chomu-vidnovlyuvana-enerhetyka-tse-zaporuka-bezpeky-dlya-ukrayiny-pid-chas-ta-pislya