(Photo by Evgeniy Alyoshin on Unsplash)

Contributed by Yarema Kovaliv Director, Energize Ukraine and Michael Parr, Executive Director, Ultra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance

Adequate and reliable energy supplies are crucial to modern life. Those of us fortunate enough to live in well-developed economies take this for granted; we seldom experience disruptions in power supplies. When we flip the switch the lights come on and the television operates. This was the world that Ukrainians lived in until Russia launched its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine some seventeen months ago.

An element of this illegal war has been the relentless targeting of the civilian power infrastructure. Russia has deliberately and repeatedly targeted critical electrical substations and generating capacity with drone and missile strikes. The brave men and women of the Ukrainian utilities have worked tirelessly to repair the damage and keep the lights on as best they can, but they rely on replacement equipment that is increasingly difficult to come by. Many Ukrainian homes have limited power supplies, and hospitals, churches, and schools often go without adequate power.

Energy infrastructure damage in Ukraine caused by Russian attacks. (Courtesy: DTEK)

This is where Energize Ukraine comes in. A group of Ukrainian expatriates with backgrounds in energy organized the Energize Ukraine project under the auspices of the Ukraine World Congress to facilitate donations of critical grid infrastructure equipment to help keep the lights on across Ukraine. Energize Ukraine works closely with the Ukrainian national grid operator to identify needs and seek donations of grid equipment.

Through their work, significant amounts of equipment have been donated and made their way to Ukraine, with almost 2,000 pieces of grid equipment to date. This includes transformers, circuit breakers, and other critical equipment like pickup trucks and bushings. The technical suitability of the equipment for Ukraine’s grid is assessed, and it is then put into service. Addressing urgent needs, Energize Ukraine also uses donated funds to procure vehicles and machinery to support grid repairs and prepare for the upcoming heating season.

Those of us in the solar industry have also taken notice and realized that solar could play an important role in helping to provide power for critical needs in Ukraine. We have reached out to colleagues across the industry, be they PV manufacturers, developers, or recyclers, to organize the donation of PV panels to Ukraine.

PV manufacturers are looking at their warehouse inventory to identify modules they can donate. Recyclers are evaluating their stocks. Matt Burnell of ReSolar, a small reuse startup in the UK, took on the opportunity and coordinated with a public housing building owner who removed a large number of older panels from a building as part of a rehabilitation project. Matt flash-tested the modules, confirmed that were putting out their full-rated power, and worked with Energize Ukraine to ship panels to Kremenchuk, Ukraine where they will be used to help provide power to a hospital.

Responding to the generosity of solar donations, Energize Ukraine has initiated a project to equip schools and hospitals with holistic solar energy solutions. This initiative encompasses the installation of small solar power plants, inverters, and energy storage systems, ensuring these institutions function consistently despite the energy challenges arising from the war. The aim is to ensure continuity in schools and hospitals during power disruptions caused by Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy systems. An initial project in a Chernihiv school is set to begin in October, with other schools already lined up for participation.

We can make this effort a success by ensuring that Energize Ukraine has the solar panels and other equipment needed to secure energy supplies for these critical facilities. Solar manufacturing is booming worldwide, and while many companies are selling every PV panel they can make, likely they have some older inventory that could be donated, and some companies have significant excess inventory of new modules, particularly in the EU. Additionally, developers are about to enter a significant phase of repowering as the incentives of the Inflation Reduction Act encourage them to upgrade to the latest high-output modules. This means that developers and recyclers will have a significant volume of used but still functioning solar panels on their hands that could still serve an important purpose in Ukraine.

We are deeply grateful to those who have already stepped up and encourage everyone in the solar industry to see how you can help by donating solar panels, inverters, storage systems, and other PV equipment to Ukraine or donating funds to help get that equipment into Ukraine. We can truly use solar energy to bring light where there is darkness. To learn more visit https://energizeukraine.com/ or contact the authors.