Today, on 29 April, the Verkhovna Rada supported in the first reading draft law No. 14271, “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Implementation of European Union Legislation in the Field of Renewable Energy Sources.” The bill formalises the transition from a centralised energy system to a decentralised, circular model that is deeply integrated into the European market.
Ukraine has taken another important step towards the European energy model
3 min read
Ukraine is consolidating a new logic in which energy is not only about large players and centralised management. It is also about communities, local businesses, distributed generation, and greater system resilience.
The bill introduces into Ukrainian legislation the concept of renewable energy communities. This legally embeds the principle of decentralisation, allowing territorial communities and local businesses to generate and manage their own clean energy.
The draft law also provides for the creation of special zones for the development of renewables, grid infrastructure, and energy storage. This step is aimed at addressing the challenge of balancing green generation.
Clear European sustainability criteria are being introduced for biofuels, bioliquids, and biomass fuels. This will help structure the bioenergy market and open the door to the full-scale operation of biomethane plants, with the prospect of exporting to EU markets.
Ukrainian terminology in the field of renewables is being aligned with EU standards, while mechanisms are also being created for statistical transfers and joint energy projects with EU member states.
The principles of European permitting procedures for renewable energy investments are expected to remove unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to connecting new projects.
We have been moving towards this for more than a decade. The foundations were laid in parliament in 2015–2019, when, in the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Safety, we developed the core legislation needed to adapt Ukraine’s energy sector to EU directives. It was during that period that the process of market demonopolisation began, along with the first systemic legislative incentives for the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Later, working outside parliament together with colleagues at Global 100% RE Ukraine and MHP Eco Energy, we focused on the practical implementation of European innovations. The key priorities included the development of distributed generation, the creation of a biomethane market to replace imported gas, and the launch of the first industrial-scale energy storage projects.
I sincerely welcome today’s decision of the parliament and congratulate all Ukrainians.
Renewable energy, integration with the EU energy market, and work under progressive rules are making our country stronger. This is a matter of our freedom and independence.
P.S. The photo dates back to my time working in the Verkhovna Rada Energy Committee. It is gratifying to see how many years of effort are gradually becoming Ukraine’s new energy reality.
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