Author: vseo_admin

From 22 to 29 November 2024, representatives of the UWEA Board and Secretariat, as well as NPC Ukrenergo, made a working visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The main purpose of the visit was to strengthen the partnership ties between Ukrainian and Dutch wind energy business, to exchange views on the recovery of Ukraine’s energy sector and to develop ideas for the implementation of joint projects. In particular, the possibilities for the development of onshore and offshore wind energy, the introduction of new wind turbines with a capacity of up to 1 MW and refurbished wind turbines to provide for the self-consumption of small and medium-sized businesses were discussed.

This initiative became possible thanks to the organisation of the visit by the Dutch wind energy association NedZero, with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine and the financing of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) of the Ministry of Economy and Climate Policy of the Netherlands. The event was a continuation of the project to develop legislative changes to stimulate the development of wind energy in Ukraine.

In addition to B2B meetings, the week-long visit also included the delegation’s participation in industry events, among which, in particular, the international conference “Decentralised energy solutions for Ukraine’s security”, which took place on 25 November 2024 in The Hague, and a two-day offshore wind energy exhibition and conference, which was successfully held in Amsterdam. Moreover, within the framework of the second event, UWEA representatives received the opportunity to present the current state of the onshore wind energy sector and the technical potential of Ukraine’s offshore wind energy, speaking at a separate thematic session “Onshore and offshore wind energy solutions for Ukraine’s economic resilience”, which took place on 26 November 2024. The speakers of the session were UWEA Board members Halyna Shmidt and Ivan Bondarchuk, partner of the law firm LCF, as well as the head of the UWEA analytical department and business development director of LLC “MCL” Kateryna Knysh. Thanks to the activity and interest of the audience, the session covered not just the current conditions and prospects for the development of Ukraine’s wind energy market, but also the legislative and regulatory framework for the development of wind projects in Ukraine, the key trends in building a decentralised energy system in a country at war, and the investment advantages of the Ukrainian market.

The first step towards strengthening cooperation between Dutch and Ukrainian wind energy businesses was the official signing of the Memorandum of Partnership and Cooperation between NedZero and UWEA at the end of the aforementioned session. The signatories of the Memorandum were the heads of the national associations – Andriy Konechenkov (on the part of Ukraine) and Jan Vos (on the part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands).

Jan Vos: “We need to defend Europe and we need to defend Ukraine together. And part of the defence is not only military might, but also energy might, because if there is no energy, then there is no army either. Energy is the fundamental basis of any war. Therefore, it is very important that we support Ukraine much more than we are doing now”.

Andriy Konechenkov: “I want to express my gratitude to NedZero and the entire Dutch people for their dedication and partnership. This cooperation symbolises a powerful synergy between Ukraine and the Netherlands, two countries united by the goal of using clean, renewable energy for a resilient, green and safe future”.

An important part of the visit was the Ukrainian delegation’s visit to the production facilities of such Dutch companies as Business in Wind, one of UWEA’s new members, which specialises in the repair of second-hand turbines and the commissioning of refurbished wind turbines, and EWT – a national manufacturer of wind turbines with a capacity of up to 1 MW inclusive. Both companies demonstrated clear intentions to conduct business on Ukraine’s wind energy market. The delegation from Ukraine was also invited to the Port of Eemshaven – a key industrial and energy hub of the Netherlands, in which large energy facilities are located – gas, coal, solar, bioenergy and wind power plants – as well as bases for the installation and maintenance of offshore wind farms in the North Sea. While in the port, the Ukrainian group also visited the production of submarine electrical cables of the company TKF. Separately, for the representative of NPC Ukrenergo, namely Roman Hrabchak, head of the Balance Reliability Department, a meeting was organised with the Dutch TSO TenneT.

Finally, the UWEA representatives invited the leadership of NedZero to a meeting with the company DRI, which develops wind energy projects in European countries.

UWEA extends its gratitude to all the partners who contributed to the organisation and conduct of this important visit, in particular NedZero, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), as well as all the companies that opened the doors of their offices and production facilities to the Ukrainian delegation.

As part of the working trip of the Ukrainian delegation headed by UWEA to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the participants of the trip took part in the international conference “Decentralised energy solutions for Ukraine’s security”, which took place on 25 November 2024 in The Hague. The conference, organised by the Ukraine Facility Platform and Open Door Ukraine – two non-governmental organisations that are at the forefront of strategic development and cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union – brought together, on the basis of the Clingendael Institute, professionals in the field of renewable energy, investors, business leaders, politicians and representatives of local authorities to address Ukraine’s most pressing problem: the restoration of energy infrastructure.

During the conference, the participants analysed the possibilities of deploying in Ukraine advanced decentralised systems that combine solar and wind energy, bioenergy, as well as energy storage systems.

During the opening of the conference, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2014–2019 Lana Zerkal, a representative of the Ukraine Facility Platform, noted that “Ukraine needs a new modus operandi (plan of action) for the energy system. Decentralised renewable energy systems offer a resilient energy security strategy for Ukraine that corresponds to climate goals and strengthens Europe’s strategic autonomy”.

The Special Envoy for Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Erica Schouten, in turn, noted that “Ukrainian winters are long, and therefore, in this case, simply restoring damaged equipment is not enough. Ukraine needs two things today: a) more air defence systems and b) a more decentralised and sustainable national energy system. The Netherlands is ready to comprehensively support Ukraine. In particular, regarding the development of renewables systems, the Dutch government is ready to implement various instruments, both financial and insurance-related.”

Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board and head of the Ukrainian delegation on the trip to the Netherlands, spoke at the conference within the framework of the session “Combining investment and innovation: Strategies for Ukraine’s energy transition” and presented the role of wind energy in building a decentralised energy system in Ukraine. “Today in Ukraine we have very many different strategies and plans for the development of renewable energy, but the result will come only when the country has a single vision and single goals towards which everyone will strive. As is the case at the EU level, wind energy projects must acquire the status of projects of overriding public interest. In addition, the effective utilisation of the entire potential of renewable energy sources in the country, in particular wind energy capacity, will be possible with a balanced regulatory environment, the availability of state support and instruments for attracting investment.”

Also invited to speak was Andriy Herus, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Housing and Communal Services, who emphasised that “in modern Ukrainian realities, the question is not what is more important: the restoration of existing facilities or the construction of new ones. Today the Ukrainian consumer expects a comprehensive approach and unequivocally needs a decentralised system in which generation will be located closer to places of consumption.”

UWEA extends its gratitude to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) of the Ministry of Economy and Climate Policy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the association NedZero for organising the trip of the Ukrainian delegation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

On 8 November 2024, UWEA representatives took part in an expert discussion of draft law No. 11392, which took place within the framework of the event “Opportunities for the green transformation of Ukraine’s energy sector”, organised with the support of UNDP within the Green Energy Recovery Programme of Ukraine.

The participants of the event – representatives of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Housing and Communal Services, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, the NEURC and industry associations – focused attention on the importance of the draft law and its role in the development of safe distributed generation and the strengthening of Ukraine’s energy security.

Roman Shakhmatenko, head of the portfolio of energy and environmental protection projects of UNDP in Ukraine, noted: “This discussion and the work on the draft law are especially important now, when Ukraine’s power system is going through a crisis caused by russian aggression and, more than ever, needs solutions that will lay the foundation for strengthening Ukraine’s energy security for many years to come”.

After the presentation of the draft law, a constructive dialogue took place between the participants regarding the proposed legislative changes and provisions. In particular, concrete solutions were discussed that can remove the existing barriers on the market and accelerate the development of the renewables industry. The UWEA representatives expressed their full support for such changes as:

• the introduction of a capacity reservation mechanism;
• the provision of the possibility of carrying out hybrid connections and using the existing grid infrastructure;
• the possibility of installing and licensing generating capacity on the producer’s side that is greater than the technical conditions at the connection point provide for;
• the extension of the validity period of technical conditions subject to the approval of the design documentation and the making of payment for connection.

Andriy Herus, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Housing and Communal Services: “We have no choice but to build distributed generation. We see an interest in this not only from our partners, but also from business, which invests in Ukrainian energy facilities. Therefore, it is important for us to create a regulatory environment in which it will be comfortable to work, to forecast and to attract investment more easily”.

The Chairman of the UWEA Board, Andriy Konechenkov, expressed general support for the provisions of the draft law, recognising it as an important initiative on the path to creating a genuine distributed energy network in Ukraine: “Draft law No. 11392 is an important initiative for the development of renewable energy, and we support its provisions regarding, for example, the simplification of the procedure for connection to the grids, because this is a very relevant factor for the development of wind energy in Ukraine. We also welcome the provisions that envisage the introduction of a capacity reservation mechanism and the possibility of carrying out hybrid connections using the existing infrastructure, as well as obtaining permission for the licensing of generating capacity that exceeds the technical conditions at the connection point. Of course, it is worth noting that these provisions will contribute to stability and predictability for investors on the market”.

At the same time, Mr Konechenkov also drew the attention of those present to those provisions of the draft law that nevertheless cause concern among market players. In particular, the obligation to pay a prepayment for connection in the amount of €10 per kW upon receipt of the technical conditions carries a risk for those projects that already have approved documentation and are at the stage of readiness for construction. Such a provision may become an additional financial burden for producers. So, UWEA proposed to revise this mechanism, establishing the obligation to pay this prepayment a year after receiving the technical conditions, as well as to make the payment for capacity reservation to an escrow account of the reservation customer. Such refinements will make it possible to maintain a balance between state interests and the needs of investors, providing appropriate guarantees for both customers and grid operators.

Overall, the discussion of draft law No. 11392 demonstrated how effective cooperation and dialogue between the state and the market can be, but, once again, highlighted the difficulties that still need to be resolved for the accelerated development of renewables in the country. Such discussions are necessary for finding balanced solutions that will truly contribute to the stable development of the industry and ensure Ukraine’s energy security in the long term.

On 25 October 2024, UWEA Board members gathered in Kyiv in a hybrid format to discuss issues critically important for the industry, to exchange views on resolving the current problems on the market, and to align some strategic directions of UWEA’s activity for the coming years. Thus, in particular, the following issues were raised during the meeting: the functioning of the Commercial Risk Guarantee Fund; stimulating electricity consumers to conclude corporate PPAs; the effectiveness of state policy regarding the development of renewables and wind energy in particular; the current status of the development of the small-scale and offshore wind energy markets in Ukraine; as well as the launch of a market for wind projects with refurbished wind turbines.

Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board, opened the meeting by presenting the latest industry news and changes in legislation, the current state of settlements with wind electricity producers and the Association’s achievements over the first 3 quarters of 2024. “I am glad to report that our Association is actively developing and expanding. As of today, UWEA unites already 95 companies and, taking into account the membership applications that are currently under consideration, is approaching a full 100 member companies. I want to thank all the companies that choose UWEA and stay with us for years. This motivates us to be even more active and effective”.

A separate item on the meeting’s agenda was the renewal of the UWEA Board’s composition. “We strive to ensure in the Board not only the maximum representation of the key operator companies and wind farm developers, but are also gradually approaching gender balance in our composition”, noted the UWEA Board Chairman, presenting the new Board member – Nataliia Hutarevych, senior lawyer at the company Sayenko Kharenko, which is one of the founders of UWEA. Ms Hutarevych joined the Board to replace Nazar Cherniavskyi, who represented the law firm on the Board over the last two years.

A replacement also took place with regard to LLC “Wind Farm”. From now on, the company will be represented on the Board, instead of Yurii Zhabskyi, by Oleksandr Molyboh, the company’s chief power engineer. However, Yurii Zhabskyi remains an honorary guest of further Board meetings.

Finally, Ruslan Soichuk, LLC “Windkraft Ukraine”, temporarily left the Board.

UWEA extends its sincere gratitude to Mr Cherniavskyi, Mr Zhabskyi and Mr Soichuk for their active work as part of the Association and wishes them good health and more successful wind energy projects.

We are glad to welcome Ms Hutarevych and Mr Molyboh to the Board. We look forward to fruitful and interesting cooperation!

On 23 October 2024, a Memorandum of Partnership and Cooperation was signed in Kyiv between UWEA and the Institute of General Energy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. With this Memorandum, the parties cemented their aspiration to direct joint efforts towards the effective and balanced development of Ukraine’s energy complex, its “green” transformation and post-war recovery. Both organisations agreed to spread the practice and experience of using wind energy, to research modern wind energy technologies and to work towards building up the potential of the national wind energy industry.

Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board: “The modern wind energy sector today needs, among other things, a high-quality scientific view and approach. Especially regarding the planning of the effective integration of wind generation into Ukraine’s overall power system and the building up of the national wind energy industry. That is precisely why broad cooperation with various institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has always been welcomed by our Association. I am convinced that the partnership with the Institute of General Energy of the NAS of Ukraine will not be limited exclusively to the provisions of the signed Memorandum, because both parties have both the professional and the technical resources to implement diverse projects and ideas. In particular, the Institute possesses a powerful material and technical base for carrying out systematic analysis and forecasting of the development of energy and energy consumption, as well as the monitoring and diagnostics of the technical state and the environment of energy systems and facilities, which may be extremely interesting for the further development of the industry”.

Vitalii Babak, director of the Institute of General Energy of the NAS of Ukraine: “The signing of the memorandum of cooperation between our Institute and the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association is an important step on the path to the development of renewable energy in Ukraine. Wind energy is one of the key components of the energy transition that we strive to implement in our country, given the climate challenges and the need to reduce dependence on traditional energy sources. Our cooperation will make it possible to combine the scientific potential of the Institute and the practical experience of the association, which will contribute to the development of new technologies, the conduct of research and the implementation of innovative solutions in the field of wind energy. I am confident that through joint efforts we will be able to contribute to the sustainable development of the industry and increase Ukraine’s energy security”.

UWEA is glad to see the Institute of General Energy of the NAS of Ukraine among the community of its reliable partners and hopes for fruitful cooperation for the benefit of Ukraine!

“The situation with debt on the renewables market still remains critical”, drew attention Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board, speaking at the European Business Association’s Energy Day 2024. As of September 2024, the debt of JSC NNEGC “Energoatom” to the SE “Guaranteed Buyer” (GarPok) amounts to UAH 12.4 billion, and GarPok, in turn, owes universal service suppliers UAH 12.3 billion. The situation with the debt to producers of electricity from renewable energy sources is especially complex, as it still exceeds UAH 35.8 billion.

As UWEA has repeatedly reported, the chain of debts to renewables producers begins with NPC Ukrenergo, which owes GarPok about UAH 29 billion for the service of ensuring an increase in the share of electricity production from alternative energy sources, due to the insufficient level and incomplete payment of the electricity transmission tariff by other market participants (the current level of the tariff is UAH 528.57/MWh). The Acting Chairman of the Board of NPC Ukrenergo, Oleksii Brekht, recently stated that the company strives to achieve a break-even tariff for 2025 through, in particular, its increase to UAH 780.41/MWh, which could become one of the measures to resolve the protracted debt crisis, provided it is paid in a timely and complete manner by market participants.

UWEA supports the intentions of the national TSO to adopt an economically justified transmission tariff in 2025. According to our calculations, to cover the forecast costs of the PSO for renewables, as well as to cover the tariff deficit for 2022–2023 in the amount of UAH 7 billion, the necessary size of the tariff should be at least UAH 710/MWh. Although even at such a size, it will be difficult for NPC Ukrenergo to repay its existing debts to the SE “Guaranteed Buyer” in full.

However, at present it is expected that the transmission tariff for 2024 should also be in deficit. It is forecast that, for the PSO costs for renewables alone, the tariff is short by UAH 6–8 billion. That is, this deficit will be established after verification in 2025 and, accordingly, should also be included in the 2025 tariff or in subsequent periods. “It is now very important to end the trend of the deficit transmission tariff, since this will continue to lead to its even greater growth in order to cover endless debts. UWEA hopes that the NEURC will make a balanced decision and provide NPC Ukrenergo with stable financing”, comments Andriy Konechenkov on the situation.

UWEA also once again calls on the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the NEURC to continue working on finding financial sources and ways to improve the liquidity of the electricity market. One of them could be, in particular, the involvement of Ukrainian banks in providing targeted financing to JSC NNEGC “Energoatom”, which is currently being actively discussed in the information space.

Although various options for restoring payment discipline on Ukraine’s electricity market are being considered at the level of the relevant state market participants, in particular at the level of NPC Ukrenergo, the real results of the adopted measures will be visible only with the active participation of all market participants, including private business. The debt crisis is a common challenge that extends to the entire market – to distribution system operators, the TSO, the SE “Guaranteed Buyer” and renewables producers – and therefore its resolution requires an open and transparent discussion between the government and business.

Moreover, today the debt crisis also leaves a negative imprint on other market instruments that are being introduced to improve the market environment. For example, by creating a situation in which the SE “Guaranteed Buyer” looks financially unreliable, renewables producers are not interested in participating in such long-awaited auctions. This, in turn, threatens the state with the non-fulfilment of the goal of building 6.1 GW of onshore wind energy projects by 2030, which is envisaged by the National Renewables Action Plan, not to mention the start of the implementation of offshore wind projects, which are also declared by this National Plan.

“Supporting the liquidity of the electricity market today is a matter of the country’s energy security and energy independence, as is the further development of “green” decentralised generation, which depends on market conditions and which is regularly declared at the level of the Government. We expect that the Government will move from declarations to actions and create attractive conditions for attracting new investment into the renewables sector”, notes Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board.

On 10 October 2024, at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine, the official presentation of the Report “Legislative changes to stimulate the development of the wind energy sector in Ukraine” took place, which was developed by the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association (UWEA) within a special project aimed at analysing the gaps in the current legislation and proposing comprehensive changes to ensure the effective development of wind energy in Ukraine. The legislative changes proposed for adoption cover the environmental, construction, land, technical and other aspects of the development of a wind energy project in Ukraine.

The project was implemented with the financial support of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Climate Policy of the Netherlands (RVO) with the participation of leading law firms in the field of energy law, namely LCF, Asters, INTEGRITES, Dentons, ARZINGER, as well as the company DTEK Renewables. All of these companies are members of UWEA.

Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board and the event’s moderator: “In close communication and interaction with real market participants, and with the support of our Dutch partners, we developed this Report, expecting that the introduction of the proposed changes to the industry’s regulatory framework will contribute to simplifying and accelerating the development of wind energy projects in Ukraine, to forming a transparent, competitive and, most importantly, predictable environment on the market, to achieving the renewable energy development goals set in the National Action Plan for Renewable Energy up to 2030, and, ultimately, to protecting and attracting private investment into Ukraine”.

Bram Romeijn, Attaché for Energy and Climate at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine: “In the Netherlands there is a special attitude to wind energy. It is very important for our citizens. We believe that, under the current conditions of martial law, wind energy for Ukraine is a real solution; it is the diversification and decentralisation of its energy system. We see that the Ukrainian government also holds this position, so we are glad to make our contribution to the development of this sector. Improving the relevant legislative framework is what is critically important for investors right now”.

A welcoming address was delivered by Serhii Vlasenko, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine: “The presented Report is truly a very thorough study. We at the Ministry are currently analysing the part dedicated to legislative changes in EIA and SEA. The Ministry of Environmental Protection wholeheartedly supports the development of wind energy, because it is a “green” solution and generation that makes it possible to carry out the energy transition away from fossil fuels. For our part, we will be involved in implementing the recommendations proposed in the Report”.

In his speech, Yurii Shafarenko, Deputy Head of the Main Department of the Directorate for Economic Policy of the Office of the President of Ukraine, noted: “We at the Office of the President of Ukraine have also worked through the prepared Report and conceptually support the implementation of the legislative changes proposed in it. Today wind energy plays a key role for Ukraine, especially in the autumn-winter period, and therefore it is necessary to create the maximum possible incentives for the even greater development of this sector in Ukraine”.

“I want to thank the relevant Ministries for their support and readiness to continue working through our recommendations. Yesterday we also presented this Report to the First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko and to Andriy Herus, the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Housing and Communal Services. I am convinced that this Report, with a volume of 122 pages, can well become the basis thanks to which the investment climate of Ukraine’s wind energy sector will be significantly improved”, summed up the introductory part of the event Andriy Konechenkov.

As part of the second part of the event, the authors of the Report shared the key conclusions and recommendations developed based on the results of the analysis carried out.

The first to speak was Olena Sichkovska-Chornobyl, energy lawyer at UWEA and the German company Notus Energy, who also took on the role of project manager. In her speech, Ms Olena outlined the goal, objectives and results of the project and drew the guests’ attention to the issues covered by the Report, its structure and research methodology.

Anzhelika Livitska, partner at ARZINGER, comprehensively presented the proposals for legislative changes in the field of EIA and SEA.

Serhii Datsiv, senior lawyer at INTEGRITES, in turn, outlined the recommendations regarding the possibility of changing the designated purpose for land without conducting an EIA and regarding the agreement of the amount of damages subject to compensation.

Viktoriia Demydenko, counsel at Asters, presented the proposals regarding the siting, construction and maintenance of access roads, as well as obtaining the so-called aviation approval. Continuing Ms Viktoriia’s speech, the second representative of Asters at the event – Marta Halabala, counsel, covered with her speech the part of the Report dedicated to the allocation of cross-border interconnections for renewables and the export of electricity.

One of the most extensive parts of the Report, dedicated to extending the validity period of permit documents, in particular technical conditions for connection to the electricity grids, and the possibility of capacity reservation, was presented by Ivan Bondarchuk, partner at LCF. Additionally, his experience on this issue was also shared by Serhii Chaus, manager of the engineering department of DTEK Renewables, who also emphasised the need to change the outdated methodology for calculating power system operating modes.

Finally, Maksym Sysoiev, partner at Dentons, spoke in more detail about what the authors of the Report propose regarding the operation of energy storage facilities and the introduction of cable pooling technology, that is, the possibility of using one connection point to the electricity grid for installations of different types of renewables.

UWEA extends its gratitude to everyone involved in the development of this Report for their sincere aspiration to improve the Ukrainian wind energy market and make it more attractive for international investors and financial organisations.

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From 24 to 27 September 2024, the UWEA Secretariat, together with the association’s member companies, took part in WindEnergy Hamburg 2024 – the world’s largest exhibition and conference on onshore and offshore wind energy, which takes place every two years in Hamburg, Germany, and this year marked its tenth anniversary! Over the 10 years of its existence, the event continues to bring together the leaders of the wind energy industry, innovators and visionaries who today are shaping the future of renewable energy in the world. Among them are participants of the Ukrainian wind energy market, who this year were traditionally represented at a separate stand of the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association. The slogan of this year’s UWEA exhibition stand was “W(i)ndependence: Freedom Through Energy”, and its face – a photo of the first phase of DTEK Renewables’ Tyligulska wind farm. Part of the stand was also a digital catalogue, developed to collect and present brief information about the players of the Ukrainian wind energy market specifically for the WindEnergy Hamburg event. This year’s catalogue contained information about 12 companies that form various components of the added value of an onshore wind energy project: https://uwea.webflow.io

The UWEA stand was one of more than 1,600 exhibitors, which were placed on 75,000 m² and in 10 pavilions, and Ukraine was one of the 40 countries represented at the exhibition. On the five conference stages, access to which was free for all participants of the event, more than 300 speakers shared their thoughts on the future of wind energy and its place in the modern global energy system. In more than 220 sessions and during numerous networking events, politicians, representatives of business and science analysed modern wind energy trends, presented new technologies and discussed the role of wind energy in combating climate change and modern societal challenges. One of these sessions was also dedicated to Ukraine, namely the charitable initiative Renewables4Ukraine (https://www.renewables4ukraine.org), created by the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) in cooperation with UWEA. The moderator of the event was Stefan Gsanger, Secretary General of the WWEA, and one of the key speakers – Halyna Shmidt, member of the UWEA Board and Vice-President of the WWEA.

The second part of the session “Renewables4Ukraine – a successful initiative to support renewable energy in Ukraine” concerned the current state of wind energy in Ukraine and the prospects for its development. The speakers of this part were Oleksandr Selishchev, CEO of DTEK Renewables and a member of the UWEA Board, Maksym Artemenko, business development director at Elementum Energy, and Kateryna Knysh, head of the analytical department at UWEA.

Both the UWEA stand and the aforementioned session enjoyed great interest among the exhibition participants, who this year numbered 40,000 people. The Ukrainian delegation, in turn, consisted of more than 60 people.

UWEA extends its gratitude to all the members of the Ukrainian delegation for the high-quality representation of the Ukrainian wind energy sector at this year’s WindEnergy Hamburg, in particular to the sponsors of the UWEA stand: DTEK Renewables (gold sponsor), Logistics+ (silver sponsor), Elementum Energy, DMCC Engineering, KNESS, Eco-Optima and Wind Parks of Ukraine (bronze sponsors). We also extend our gratitude to the companies: Crane Ukraine, Engineering Company Prof. Katzenbach and Partners-Ukraine, Fenix Repower, Friendly WindTechnology, MCL Group, Stable Energy, TAD and UDP Renewables for their contribution to the development of the digital catalogue.

Andriy Konechenkov, Chairman of the UWEA Board: “UWEA has been a participant of this grand exhibition since the first year of its founding. Participation in such a global event gives Ukrainian companies the opportunity not only to familiarise themselves with the novelties and trends of the global wind energy market, to meet colleagues, to establish new business contacts, but also to present their activity, conduct negotiations with leading manufacturers of wind equipment, and meet potential investors and future friends and colleagues.”

UWEA also extends special gratitude to the organisers of WindEnergy Hamburg for their support in the regular representation of Ukraine at an event of global scale.

On 18 September 2024, the Chairman of the UWEA Board Andriy Konechenkov was invited to the official presentation of the largest operating wind power plant in a mountainous area – the Skole wind farm, with a capacity of 54.6 MW, built in the Lviv region.

The Skole wind farm became a joint project of the Ukrainian company LLC “Eco-Optima”, a member of UWEA, and the Czech company MND. The total investment attracted for the implementation of the project amounted to UAH 2.1 billion, and the main creditor of the project was the Ukrainian bank JSC “Ukreximbank”.

The Skole wind farm became another precedent of the implementation of a wind energy project during the period of martial law. Although the development of the station began back in 2021, the supply of wind equipment and the construction and installation work on the site took place already after the full-scale invasion. Thanks to the resilience of the company LLC “Eco-Optima”, today about 100,000 residents of the region have the opportunity to receive electricity from wind energy.

Andriy Konechenkov: “During the full-scale invasion, three new wind power plants were built in Ukraine, including, in particular, the Skole wind farm, the legal name of which is LLC “Orivska”. However, this station is distinguished from the two other projects by the fact that the wind energy equipment for it was brought in from scratch already during martial law. Here I would also like to separately note the Western manufacturers of wind turbines, such as Nordex, Vestas and GE (whose personnel, although they temporarily left Ukraine for safety reasons), are still present on the Ukrainian market and are ready to continue supporting Ukrainian wind energy projects despite the war. We continue moving forward in partnership towards victory and new projects!”

UWEA sincerely congratulates LLC “Eco-Optima” on the successful launch of another wind energy project and wishes it to continue confidently striding towards new achievements, successful and reliable partnerships and the expansion of its presence on the Ukrainian wind energy market!