Dmytro Sakharuk: Ukraine can play a vital role as a supplier of renewable energy in the European energy landscape

russia's war against Ukraine will substantially change the European energy landscape by transforming energy markets. Once the war is over Ukraine can turn into a vital participant of the European energy landscape as a supplier of renewable energy. DTEK Executive Director Dmytro Sakharuk said this during an online speech at the EuroPOWER energy conference held in Warsaw.

“Europe's refusal to buy Russian energy resources will lead to growing demand of renewable energy. I see the perspective where Ukraine can play a more important role in the European energy landscape as a supplier of a significant amount of green electricity to the EU,” said Dmytro Sakharuk.

He noted that Ukraine geographically and climatically has a huge potential for the development of renewable resources, in particular, wind and solar energy. On top of that, Ukraine has an expanded network of transmission lines allowing green electricity transmitting to Europe. Currently, Ukraine has 8.7 GW of installed capacity of solar and wind energy. Ukraine’s potential in green energy producing is estimated at 20 GW. We can build these capacities and transfer clean electricity to European countries, including Poland,” Dmytro Sakharuk said.

According to him, there are favorable pre-conditions to do so now that Ukraine has synchronized with the European energy system. Ukraine’s integration onto the European grid allows for exporting and importing up to 2.5 GW of electricity. “And most of this amount can be green energy,” the executive director of DTEK is convinced. He stated that DTEK Group has 1 GW of installed green capacity, and before the start of the war, the company launched construction of the Tiligulskaya wind farm with a capacity of 500 MW.

“Given the large number of renewable energy sources, Ukraine can also produce green hydrogen. We have an expand network of gas pipelines that can be modernized in collaboration with European partners prior to the launching transport of green hydrogen to Europe,” he added.