How Zhytomyr is preparing for the energy of the future: lessons for ukrainian communities

In a new 100GREEN interview with Serhiy Kondratyuk, Deputy Mayor of Zhytomyr, and Olha Kruhliak, Chief Specialist at the Zhytomyr City Council’s City Development Agency, we discuss how Zhytomyr is transforming its energy strategy amid full-scale war. The shift moves from a traditional focus on energy conservation and consumption reduction to developing local generation, energy storage, and boosting the autonomy of critical infrastructure.

The full-scale war has significantly altered the city’s approach to energy security. While thermal modernization, energy efficiency, and reducing gas and electricity consumption were once the top priorities, targeted attacks on critical infrastructure forced a complete review of energy planning logic.

Key topics covered in the conversation:

• How the war altered Zhytomyr’s energy strategy.

• How the city plans to substitute at least 50% of natural gas by 2035, alongside the tariff and regulatory hurdles that could stall progress.

• Why Zhytomyr first builds a portfolio of needed energy projects before seeking targeted funding.

• How, under the ANEW-LIFE initiative, the city is developing a 3 MW solar power plant combined with a 9 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for the local water utility.

• Why Zhytomyr is pursuing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and other financial mechanisms to deliver and scale these solutions.

• Whether Zhytomyr will feature a floating solar power station and why the city aims to test this concept as a pilot project first.

• How ANEW-LIFE helps bridge the gap from concept to bankable investment project, creating templates ready for replication across other Ukrainian communities.

Special emphasis is placed on Zhytomyr’s funding pipeline strategy. Rather than drafting projects to match specific grant calls, the city defines a clear portfolio aligned with local strategic needs, then secures the most suitable financial instruments for fully prepared proposals.

Through the ANEW-LIFE framework, the practical experiences of Zhytomyr, Nizhyn, and Kalush aim to establish actionable green transformation models that can be scaled throughout Ukraine.