Thanks to the development of 'green' energy in Ukraine and around the world, humanity has gained the opportunity to prevent a climate catastrophe and improve the environment. We decided to find out how alternative energy helps Kyiv stabilize the power system during wartime and how the city program '70 by 30' contributes to this.

Green energy refers to renewable energy sources that are inexhaustible in nature (sun, wind, and water). They do not emit gases that cause the greenhouse effect, helping to delay global warming.

How alternative energy came to Ukraine

Due to significant carbon dioxide emissions, the world has found itself on the brink of a climate catastrophe. To avoid it, Ukraine and other countries united and began investing in the development of "green" energy. Since 2015, the world has invested $501.3 billion in developing alternative energy sources.

In Ukraine, since 2015, green energy has become one of the few successful sectors of the economy.

After signing the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine in 2014 and ratifying the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016, Ukraine committed to bringing its energy system closer to EU standards.

By 2035, the share of renewable energy sources is expected to increase to 25%. Despite the full-scale war, in May of this year, DTEK approved a territory plan for the Poltava Wind Farm project to continue the green energy trend. The estimated capacity is 650 MW.

Thanks to similar projects, Ukraine ranked 15th in the world in renewable energy investment in 2019.

"Green" Kyiv

Inspired by the success of European capitals in the energy sector, Kyiv also began making changes. Since 2017, the city has gradually installed benches with solar panels. These benches are equipped with built-in panels that allow people to charge their phones and other gadgets, featuring multiple USB ports.

In August 2020, during the online conference "What We See in Kyiv," the city’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, promised to implement unconventional renewable energy sources in the city, install solar panels, and improve the energy efficiency of buildings.

That same year, the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) decided to renovate the heating, hot water, and electricity systems in budgetary institutions using renewable energy sources for 2021. The project started in three kindergartens:

  • Preschool institution No. 654, Vyborzka St., 51-53;
  • Preschool institution No. 565, General Naumova St., 25-A;
  • Preschool institution No. 521, General Zhmachenko St., 6.

Four million hryvnias were allocated from the local budget to finance these works. Additionally, in 2021, Kyiv opened an eco-park with solar panels that power street lighting and containers for separate waste sorting.

And That’s Not All... In 2020, the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) announced that electric buses would replace old diesel trains on two routes in the city. In February of the following year, electric buses manufactured by the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) from Belarus were tested in the capital. The cost of such an electric bus is nearly 15 million UAH. They were specifically tested on Kyiv roads during winter to assess their performance in low temperatures.

Electric buses are 8–10 times more cost-effective in terms of electricity consumption than trolleybuses or trams. These vehicles will help the city save money and protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 537 tons of CO2 per year.

Although electric buses are not yet operating on the city’s streets, the city council has not abandoned the idea of launching them.

Solar panels on buildings and hospitals during the war

Since 2023, home solar power stations have been actively installed in Kyiv. The "Artist" homeowners association (OSBB) on Velyka Vasylkivska Street was one of the first to install solar panels on the roof of its high-rise building. Under the terms of the city’s co-financing program "70 by 30," most of the project costs are covered by the city budget, while the rest must be invested by the residents.

The residents of the building have previously participated in the city’s co-financing program for energy-efficient projects "70/30." They have repaired a separate heating unit, installed energy-saving windows and doors in common areas, insulated the facade, and equipped three hybrid inverters. This equipment can be powered either from the grid or from solar panels. The total cost of the work is 2.5 million UAH, according to Deputy Head of the KCSA Petro Panteleev.

Denys Skorenko, the head of one of the OSBBs in the Pechersk district, added that the system allows for manual connection of elevators to the batteries. Therefore, in the summer, all building systems are planned to be switched to solar energy. These projects will help ease the load on the city’s overall energy system. The city authorities plan to scale them up and apply the successful experience to other buildings, OSBBs, and communities in Kyiv. Overall, more than a thousand energy efficiency projects have already been implemented in Kyiv, helping residents save on utility costs.

After the full-scale invasion, almost all medical institutions in the country received equipment to generate electricity from sunlight. This equipment stores energy and provides emergency power during outages or blackouts.

Today, all medical institutions are equipped with generators, fully covering critical needs. Equally important is the development of modern technologies that enhance our energy security, particularly the installation of solar power stations. Currently, 32 medical institutions are equipped with these systems, said Health Minister Viktor Liashko.

Kyiv region has the most installations, with eight facilities.

Alternative energy is also much more resilient to Russian shelling: despite damage, wind turbines or solar panels can continue generating energy. The authorities have big plans for this sector—Volodymyr Zelensky stated that, thanks to green energy generation, Ukraine will build a new decentralized energy system that will be resistant to missile attacks.