Ukrainian wind cannot be stopped — even despite the war, risks, and bureaucratic obstacles. This was the mood conveyed by the participation of representatives of member companies and the Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association in the conference “Green Energy for Reconstruction,” which took place on May 22, 2025 in Kyiv. At the invitation of the We Build Ukraine think tank, Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association Andriy Konechenkov presented the actual state of affairs in the industry and named both reasons for optimism and factors inhibiting market development.
“This year, we have seven wind farms under construction. This is a clear signal — investors believe in the power of Ukrainian wind, even in extremely difficult conditions,” said Konechenkov. From the beginning of the full-scale invasion to the beginning of 2024, four wind projects were implemented in Ukraine — in full or in part. However, in 2024, only 20 MW of new capacity was put into operation. At the same time, the industry is not losing momentum:
“As of today, we have ready-made projects with a total capacity of 4 GW. This is a huge reserve for growth that can be launched almost instantly – you just need to create attractive conditions,” he emphasized.
However, as the head of the UWEA noted, these “attractive conditions” currently remain medium- or even long-term prospects due to the barriers that still exist. Among them are chronic debt in the electricity market, the lack of long-term contract mechanisms, and most importantly, fiscal restrictions on the import of wind energy equipment.
“Yesterday I got acquainted with the correspondence between the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Economy regarding the exemption from taxes on the import of wind turbines. All other types of generation — solar, bio, hydro, cogeneration — have already been exempted. And wind — is still blocked. The argument is losses for the budget, although everyone knows: VAT is then returned to companies, and therefore has no real impact on filling the budget,” Konechenkov emphasized.
According to the speaker, the UWEA has been trying to achieve the abolition of this barrier for almost a year, but so far to no avail. The only ray of support is the position of the Ministry of Energy, which firmly stands for the development of wind energy as an element of Ukraine’s energy independence.
The Green Energy for Reconstruction conference brought together key market players to talk frankly about the challenges and new horizons of renewable energy. Along with solar energy and biofuels, wind energy became one of the central topics of discussion. Ukrainian wind energy is ready to scale — all it takes is political will, regulatory predictability, and fiscal fairness.
Members and partners of UWEA can be national and international companies and organizations that share the statutory goals and vision of the association, and are also ready to contribute to the development of the national wind energy market on the basis of honest partnership and mutual assistance.