Empowering Resilience: Financing Renewable Energy in Ukrainian Communities
The war has exposed the vulnerability of the Ukrainian energy system to missile attacks from Russia, forcing communities to live with emergency or planned power outages. Uninterrupted power supply is essential for the functioning of critical infrastructure, including water utilities, hospitals, etc. The constant shelling has caused suffering to the residents of the communities, while the municipalities are struggling to restore basic services such as water, heating and electricity.
Energy security for communities is important, and implemented renewable energy projects for utilities can contribute to this. In addition, communities need funding, so support tools for such projects need to be created. The development of decentralized grids and renewable energy sources will help municipalities be resilient to crises. Thus, the issue of developing renewable energy projects in our country is extremely important.
Thus, on June 6, 2024, representatives of the Center for Sustainable Development and Environmental Law took part in a panel discussion of the NGO Ecoclub on “Strengthening Resilience: Financing Renewable Energy in Ukrainian Communities”. The main task of the speakers was to convey information about the need to develop energy independence of communities and rebuild them by improving legislation and creating pilot renewable energy projects in settlements.
The discussion included:
– the results of the study “Financing of Renewable Energy Projects in Ukrainian Municipalities” were presented (ecoclubrivne.org/en/financing_res_study/);
– Speakers shared the experience of communities in implementing restoration projects, in particular in the field of renewable energy;
– discussing the challenges and opportunities faced by communities;
– some speakers highlighted their own vision of how renewable energy projects should be financed and provided a list of ideas for their implementation.
Interesting presentations and in-depth responses from the speakers greatly enriched the discussion and contributed to the development of a positive dialogue between the participants. The speakers of the event were:
Iryna Stavchuk, Project Manager, Ukraine Programme, European Climate Foundation;
Dr. Cyriac Massué, Counsellor for Economic Affairs and Energy, German Embassy in Ukraine;
Serhiy Sykhomlyn, Mayor of Zhytomyr Municipality, Ukraine;
Olena Baida, Expert, NGO Ecoclub;
Elise Vigier, Responsible for Project R2U, GIZ: Insights from the R2U Project and Future Initiatives;
Andriy Martynyuk, Executive Director, NGO Ecoclub;
Maria Lukyanova, Green Investment Specialist, UA National Coordinator, CEE Bankwatch Network, Ecoaction;
Ihor Knyazev, Principal Banker, EBRD. See you! Best regards, Team of NGO Ecoclub;
We would like to express our special gratitude to the NGO Ecoclub for organizing this event and the activities they carry out.
The participants had a lot of questions for the speakers, because if before the armed aggression on the territory of our country, renewable energy projects were considered in Ukraine mainly as a movement towards sustainable development (“green” policy), then in the current situation we are talking about the possibility of survival in the reality that is happening now.
