Low temperatures and the start of the heating season bring closer the period when the operator Ukrenergo will apply hourly outage schedules. With each massive shelling, the risk of new large-scale blackouts increases. In conditions of serious electricity shortages, businesses and households need to prepare for winter. What steps should be taken to ensure energy independence?
Business readiness: backup power sources
Experts note that businesses should focus on backup power sources, as there are practically no support programs from the state. “The lack of energy-saving or energy-providing support programs for businesses leaves enterprises alone with the problem,” comments Oleg Popenko, an expert on housing and utilities.
Currently, powerful technical solutions are important: systems with inverters and batteries that store energy, as well as generators. Each business can choose the best option depending on its needs and budget. For example, a small hair salon will suit a low-power generator, while an apartment building or a large enterprise requires larger solutions, such as solar power plants.
Energy independence: real-life examples
Some Ukrainian enterprises are already actively implementing energy independence projects. In Vinnytsia, thanks to the installation of rooftop solar power plants, one of the enterprises has become completely energy independent. “An energy storage unit has been installed on the basis of production facilities, which ensures uninterrupted power supply,” notes Serhiy Morgunov, the mayor of Vinnytsia.
Also, the Polytech-Plaza condominium in Kyiv implemented a solar power plant project, which allows for the provision of electricity to elevators, water supply pumps, and lighting of common areas.
Will importing electricity help?
According to analysts, commercial electricity exports have resumed in Ukraine, indicating an improvement in the situation in the power system. However, given the possibility of a renewed deficit, CES expert Maksym Samoiluk emphasizes: “Electricity imports will not be able to avoid outages if the situation worsens.”.
In the absence of a significant deficit, Ukraine will have to implement imports, but this may not provide full stability in the winter months. It is also planned to revise the maximum prices for electricity, which may lead to an increase in tariffs.
