RE-start to Berlin: Global 100 RE Ukraine took part in the URC2024 preparatory meeting

In preparation for the International Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2024), representatives of specialized associations and businesses held an online discussion on German-Ukrainian cooperation in the field of renewable energy. The theses and ideas voiced at the meeting will be used to develop the URC2024 agenda.

The event was organized by the German Renewable Energy Federation, Global 100% RE Ukraine, the German-Ukrainian Energy Partnership and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Stephan Franz, moderator of the event, GIZ:

“With today’s event, we want to bring together private sector players and renewable energy players from Ukraine and Germany to raise key issues, demands and proposals to be discussed at the URC conference in Berlin. We want to gather information from the private sector, from companies, from players on the ground who really know what is needed now to contribute to the political intergovernmental dialogue at the URC conference.”

Oleksandr Dombrovsky, Chairman of the Board of Global 100 RE Ukraine, President of MHP Eco Energy:

“We had very good dynamics for the development of all areas of renewable technologies in Ukraine. But with the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine, everything has changed. In recent months, Ukraine’s energy system has suffered the greatest damage since the beginning of a full-scale war with Russia. We have already lost 8 GW of capacity in the system.”

Oleksandr Dombrovsky also focused on the importance of using modern energy storage systems, smart grids and artificial intelligence for decentralized and distributed generation, production of green hydrogen, green ammonia and green methanol.

“We are living in a very challenging, but at the same time very interesting time. As we are experiencing a technological green revolution, we must simultaneously defend Ukraine from Russian barbaric aggression and fight global warming to give our children, grandchildren and future generations a chance to live.”

David Wedepohl, Executive Director of the German Solar Energy Association:

“Ukraine, along with many positive aspects, does have plenty of well-trained, skilled labor, with the right education for engineers, electricians and other specialties that are needed to deploy renewables. But for the massive deployment, for the scaling, more is needed. And this takes time.”

He called for finding ways to attract more women to the industry, both in Germany and in Ukraine.

He also drew attention to the shortage of transformers of all types, not only in Ukraine but throughout Europe.

Oleksandr Podrugin, Deputy Chairman of the UWEA Board and Regional Manager for Ukraine at NOTUS Energy Deutschland.

“We need to separate Ukraine from the general investment policy and accept increased risks for certain private sector investments that are now critically important for Ukraine. And the energy sector is critical for Ukraine right now. Therefore, the key obstacle to launching renewable energy projects on the scale needed for Ukraine is the lack of an appropriate financial and commercial structure. It is necessary to create a bridge between the ready-to-implement projects available in Ukraine and the funds available to Ukraine.”

Joachim Goldbeck, CEO of Goldbeck Solar and President of BSW Solar:

“We have many Ukrainian colleagues in our team. A few weeks after the war started, we realized that Ukraine would have to be rebuilt. And it will be rebuilt with the help of Germany and Europe. And especially in the energy sector. And in the energy sector, very likely, it will be rebuilt on the basis of renewable technologies, because gas and oil are running out, and nuclear energy has its risks, as everyone knows, especially in Ukraine. So, eventually, a new big market will emerge.”

Karin Franzen, Project Director of the German-Ukrainian Energy Partnership:

“We are rehabilitating assets for the electricity sector – here I mean infrastructure, networks – in particular through donations from German companies. But we also have a second component – a procurement campaign, where we announce tenders for the purchase of specific goods included in the emergency list published by the Ministry of Energy on the international market. And we, as the Secretariat, support this process.”

Yulia Rybak, Advisor to the Minister of Energy of Ukraine and Co-leader of the German-Ukrainian Energy Partnership.

“We will have a lot of announcements from potential investors regarding renewable energy sources. The conference will be extremely full of positive messages that Ukraine is united as never before. We are really getting a lot of unprecedented support from our international partners, especially from the German government and German business. And we can do our recovery. We can rebuild our country and make our green transition.”

As a reminder, Ukraine Recovery Conference – 2024 will be held in Berlin on June 11-12. Global 100% RE Ukraine will open its event at the Conference on June 10.