Camilla Jessen
With 70% of its thermal power plants damaged.
Ukraine is starting a new energy project with the UK to help rebuild its damaged power system and make buildings more energy independent.
On June 23, Ukraine’s energy company DTEK and the British clean energy company Octopus Energy announced the start of a program called RISE—short for Resilient Independent Solar Energy. The goal is to put solar panels and battery storage systems on the roofs of schools, businesses, and public buildings across the country.
The project was revealed in London during a tech event hosted by Octopus Energy. RISE will raise $115 million to support 100 small solar energy projects over the next three years. The idea is to help stabilize Ukraine’s power system and reduce the impact of blackouts and high energy prices.
The work will be done by D.Solutions, a part of DTEK that works under the YASNO brand, which focuses on energy efficiency.
DTEK’s CEO, Maksym Timchenko, said the program is badly needed because about 70% of Ukraine’s thermal power plants have been damaged or destroyed during the war. He also said this is a chance to build a better and greener energy system, where more people can have control over their electricity.
The solar systems will be connected to Kraken, an advanced energy platform from Octopus. Kraken helps users track how much electricity they use and save energy during busy times. People can even sell extra electricity back to the grid.
Greg Jackson, head of Octopus Energy, said the project shows how Ukraine is choosing to rebuild smarter. He praised Ukraine and DTEK for their strength and said the new solar systems will bring more flexibility, lower costs, and more reliable energy.
This project follows other recent efforts in Ukraine, like a plan to make schools able to run for up to 12 hours without outside electricity. These changes are meant to protect people as Russian attacks continue to hit the country’s power system.