In the face of unprecedented challenges facing Ukraine’s energy system, grid flexibility, stability, and resilience have transformed from technical requirements into energy security issues. UZE is one of the key technologies capable of solving these problems. In response to an acute market need, UWEA has launched a new series of webinars designed to become a practical guide for everyone interested in developing energy storage projects.
The first event in the series, held on August 7, 2025, brought together leading industry experts who examined in detail both the features of integrating UZE into existing RES facilities and the specifics of implementing projects in a standalone format. Special attention was paid to long-term aspects that determine reliability and profitability, in particular, the key terms of service contracts (LTSA) and warranty obligations of integrators. The webinar became a platform for exchanging not only theoretical knowledge, but also practical experience, which is important for the development of the market today.
The discussion began with a fundamental question: where to start development and what the legal framework for such projects looks like today. Natalia Khmelivska laid out the first steps for investors.
Natalia Khmelivska, lawyer in the energy practice of the law firm Sayenko Kharenko:
The regulator has already adapted the Licensing Conditions for conducting business activities in energy storage to the specifics of UZE – in particular, it has clarified the list of documents depending on whether the installation is immovable or movable property. At the same time, in practice, challenges related to the execution of permitting documents and resolving land issues remain. These are the aspects that require increased attention at the development stage.
The focus then shifted to practical aspects of integrating storage systems with existing renewable energy facilities. Natalia Korobenko shared her experience and regulatory features that manufacturers need to consider.
Natalia Korobenko, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Elementum Energy, Deputy Chair of the UWEA Committee for Legal Affairs:
Recently, a tremendous amount of work has been done on amendments to legislative and regulatory acts regarding the installation and operation of energy storage systems. Yes, there are still gaps and provisions that need to be finalized. But today, a regulatory framework has been created that paves the way for the implementation of even more energy storage projects in Ukraine.
After discussing integration with renewable energy, the participants moved on to the specifics of implementing renewable energy projects, both separate and independent facilities. Serhiy Kravchuk explained the difference in approaches to the development of such systems.
Serhiy Kravchuk, Director, KNESS Energy, Deputy Chairman of the UWEA Committee for Development and Implementation of BESS:
Today, we can confidently state that UZ projects in Ukraine have gone from theory to practice. There are clear legal models that allow for flexible integration of UZ – either within the framework of a producer with a “green tariff” to optimize imbalances, or as a full-fledged “standalone” market participant, for which it is enough to have a license for production. And although the implementation process is complex, from the development of a land plot to obtaining the status of a market participant, the economic model is absolutely convincing: price arbitrage strategies on the DAM in combination with work on the balancing market reduce the payback period and prove that UZ is no longer a hypothetical opportunity, but a critically important and economically justified investment
At the end of the webinar, Vadim Utkin drew attention to a critically important aspect of the long-term success of any UZ project – equipment reliability and service.
Vadim Utkin, Advisor to the CEO, DTEK Renewable Energy:
A Long-Term Service Agreement (LTSA) is essentially your insurance. It is very important to pay attention to such indicators as Round Trip Efficiency, i.e. the efficiency of the charge-discharge cycle, and Availability – the availability of the installation. It is these parameters, specified in the contract, that will determine how much money you will earn. You also need to understand that the battery degradation guarantee is one of the key elements that affects the project’s economics for 10-15 years to come.
The full recording of the webinar can be found at the link: https://youtu.be/1tJlxMfa1A0?si=xX2Q4Vyuk5sZzDGU
Speaker presentations are available at the link:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1g8dpLMhvdd96Rw8sBb0U5H_UnkrJvFSQ?usp=share_link
This webinar was the first in a planned series of events from UWEA, designed to create a comprehensive platform for knowledge exchange and contribute to accelerating the development of the UZE market in Ukraine.
