During a World Economic Forum seminar dedicated to the electrification of transport (titled: ‘Carbon-free cities: an integrated approach’ dedicated to transport electrification), Oleksandr Onyshchenko, Business Development Director at D.Solutions shared his views on the electric vehicles market and its prospects in Ukraine. D.Solutions is a subsidiary of the DTEK Group.
D.Solutions, an operating holding company, provides energy and gas distribution for 3.5 million customers in Kyiv and five other regions under the YASNO brand. It also offers energy-efficient and electric mobility solutions that reduce energy costs and generate extra revenue for customers through “green” technologies.
According to the seminar’s participants, cities account for 3% of the Earth's surface, yet generate over 70% of total CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Reducing these emissions to zero requires a renewed focus on efficiency and a comprehensive approach, which includes clean electrification, smart digital technologies, and increased energy efficiency in buildings and infrastructure. Perspectives on the electrification of transport were also discussed during the meeting.
During his intervention, Oleksandr Onyshchenko shared that over 565,000 kWh of electricity was consumed, using YASNO’s E-mobility network's fast-charging stations in 2020. As a result, 380 tons of CO2 emission were avoided. Yet, electric vehicles can only significantly contribute to global carbon reduction efforts if they are widely adopted. In Ukraine, the number of electric vehicles has increased fourfold over the past three years, however, they continue to lack significant presence on the country’s roads. As of 1 March, only 26,000 electric cars were registered.
“Access to the electricity grid is one of the key preconditions for the uptake of electric vehicles in Ukraine. Naturally, this will determine how easily and quickly drivers can charge their car. To this end, we are expanding the YASNO E-mobility charging network. Today, 29 high-speed stations with a capacity of 50 kW operate in Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, as well as on highways to Lviv, Odesa, and Poltava. Investments in the current YASNO E-mobility electric vehicle infrastructure amounted to UAH 34 million.
Furthermore, we are offering charging stations to private and corporate customers which allow them to charge their cars while at home or work, as well as providing charging services to other car owners while receiving income.
D.Solutions is closely studying decisions taken by European countries and is ready to join projects focused on the development of charging infrastructure in partnership with the government and municipalities, and forge partnerships with network companies, automotive manufacturers and charging station operators. Moreover, we will participate in projects that will change the regulatory requirements for construction and long-term city infrastructure development, as well as encourage optimum capacity use via energy management systems during low-load hours”, said Oleksandr Onyshchenko.
