At the Solarpower Summit in Brussels, two Ukrainian representatives highlighted the role photovoltaics and battery storage can play in the country, as well as the lessons the European Union can draw from Ukraine’s experience of living through war. Particular emphasis was placed on systems installed at hospitals and schools.
Discussion on photovoltaics in Ukraine (from left): Walburga Hemetsberger, Svitlana Romanko, and Yuliana Onishchuk.
Image: Michael Fuhs/pv magazine
Yuliana Onishchuk is organizing aid under extraordinarily difficult conditions. Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure, while the country’s energy sector has historically been heavily male-dominated and many men are currently serving in the military. As a result, Onishchuk’s organization, Energy Act for Ukraine, is training women to build photovoltaic systems from the ground up — a mission she highlighted at the SolarPower Summit, hosted by SolarPower Europe in Brussels this week.
The organization’s work extends beyond training. It is also installing solar-plus-storage systems at schools and hospitals. According to its own figures, Energy Act for Ukraine has already deployed nearly 1.5 MW of solar capacity and 2 MWh of battery storage. One of its latest projects is a maternity and neonatal center in Odesa, where the installed system can keep the intensive care unit operating for up to 18 hours on a sunny day.
Onishchuk said PV is attracting growing interest not only from hospitals and schools, but also from businesses seeking reliable power supplies. A key obstacle, however, is financing, as many projects remain too small to attract bank funding.
The issue was also raised in Brussels by Svitlana Romanko, founder and executive director of Razom We Stand, which campaigns to end European purchases of Russian fossil fuels. Romanko called on European companies and investors to become more active in Ukraine, arguing that while the market remains challenging, it offers significant long-term growth potential.
Onishchuk agreed, noting that investment in Ukraine inevitably involves risk, but arguing that now is the right time to gain experience with the country’s regulatory framework and market conditions. In some respects, she said, conditions are favorable. For example, a solar installation can currently obtain all required permits within around 16 months.
Both speakers stressed that the European Union could learn from Ukraine’s experience. Ukrainian energy experts have gained practical knowledge in dealing with cyberattacks, unstable grids, rapid infrastructure repair, and smart-grid deployment.
“We must do this very quickly,” Onishchuk said.
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