Ukraine is likely to exceed the 1 GW barrier this year, with 56 new major PV installations planned. If all of these plans are brought to action, it will add 488 MW to the Eastern-European country’s PV capacity.

2017 will bring a major growth to the Ukrainian PV capacities. Based upon the ongoing conflict with Russia regarding energy delivieries, Ukraine is looking to build a stronger national power market. As a result, an impressive number of 56 new PV power plants is planned for this year, with a combined capacity of 488 MW, as an analytical report prepared by the expert board of the 6th Internal Conference and Trade Show on Solar Energy Industry in Central and Eastern Europe (CISOLAR-2017) states.

Aim of increasing energy independence

Ukraine’s aim is to increase its energy independence – one that is not new. Rough times in the relationship with Russia have taken their toll on the agreements regarding Russia’s energy deliveries. As a result, Ukraine has set its focus on renewable energies in order to gain more autonomy. With the goal of pushing this, the Ukrainian government started an investment programme in 2015, allowing 15 billion Euros for the expansion of renewables.

Solution: PV installations

Furthermore, in 2016, plans of using the grounds of the Chernobyl reactors – until now, a nuclear wasteland – as a 1000 MW solar park were published, a project that has sparked particular interest with solar global players such as the US, Canada, China and Germany. Ukraine’s feed-in tariffs are set at EUR 0.1599/kWh for ground-mounted solar PV installations implemented in 2016 and EUR 0.1502/kWh for PV projects started between 2017 and 2019.

Exceeding the successful past year

Last year, the Ukrainian capacities have already grown remarkably: according to CISOLAR, 107 MW of PV installations were installed in 2016, with an estimated cost of 120 million Euros. These about 50 new plants made the country’s capacity grow to over 500 MW. With the new projects planned for 2017, Ukraine should be able to reach and pass the 1 GW barrier. The energy companies Rentechno, Helios Strategia, US Solar, Rengy Development, Eco Optima and Paradigma Invest Group have the key roles in these projects.

This is a great development for the country that, based upon a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) published in 2015, could produce as much as 21.8 per cent of its total energy needs with renewables.

Title image: LUCARELLI TEMISTOCLE/shutterstock