Ukraine has a chance to become a leader in smart distributed generation – Mayor of Slavutych

Ukraine has a unique opportunity to become a leader in the development of smart distributed generation. However, it will be difficult for municipalities to implement this on their own, and partnerships will be needed to overcome both technical and economic challenges.

This perspective was shared by Yurii Fomichev, Mayor of Slavutych, during a roundtable discussion at Media Center Ukraine.

“Today, Ukraine has the opportunity to become a pioneer in smart distributed generation. Perhaps the most important need we have is for specialists in smart grids – modern networks integrated with artificial intelligence that effectively manage electricity, determining when to sell and when to buy. Ideally, this approach could provide economic benefits to communities, making us not only efficient but also economically viable. To do that, we need partners; we cannot do it alone because this is the big leagues. There are very few specialists who really understand how to operate in this market,” said Fomichev.

He emphasized that Slavutych’s experience highlights the need for legal and economic experts in the development of distributed generation.

“We have technical specialists, which is a great advantage for a city of energy workers. However, we lack economic and legal experts – those who understand the processes and who must either be brought into the community or accessed through partnerships. Partnerships allow us to avoid the challenge of hiring such specialists directly. Slavutych’s municipal budget cannot afford to pay these highly qualified experts what they deserve. That is why partnerships are essential, and we are ready to cooperate,” Fomichev explained.

In addition, Fomichev stressed the importance of starting with pilot projects in the development of distributed generation.

“These have to be pilot projects. We need to take things step by step, learn through experience, and identify areas for adjustment, including necessary regulatory changes. Ultimately, communities should develop into small energy islands that contribute energy to Ukraine’s unified energy system,” he added.

It is worth noting that during the roundtable at the Media Center Ukraine, representatives of JSC Energy Company of Ukraine, the Association of Small Cities of Ukraine, and the Association CIGRE-Ukraine signed a memorandum to promote the development of distributed energy generation in Ukrainian communities.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news