In the first twenty years of the 21st century, the world’s energy has undergone significant changes. It is no exaggeration to say that the global energy revolution has begun. Renewable, so-called green energy is replacing non-renewable energy sources.
Green renewable energy is called because of its environmental sustainability. The most common types of renewable power plants are solar, wind and hydro.
A major constraint to the rapid development of renewable energy is its competitiveness with traditional energy sources.
In fact, it makes no economic sense to invest in a green power plant if, at the current electricity tariffs, it lasts about 20 years, which is roughly the same as its useful life.
But, despite the economic impracticality, green energy is developing. The global using of renewable energy is growing. In some developed countries, using of green electricity exceeds that of nuclear and coal-fired power.
That is, mankind is demonstrating a commendable willingness to incur significant economic losses in order to reduce the human impact on the environment.
The European Union has set a target of 32% renewable energy by 2030. As of 2020, the share of renewable energy in the EU is about 20%.
In 2017, Ukraine adopted the «Energy Strategy of Ukraine», according to which by 2035 Ukraine plans to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy mix to 25%. As of 2020, the share of renewable energy in Ukraine is about 3-4% and at this level it seems that this growth will stop for a long time.
In order to address the reasons for the slowdown of green energy growth, consider the interesting history of green energy development in Ukraine.
As of 2008, there were relatively few solar power plants in Ukraine. 90% of them belonged to People’s Deputy of Ukraine, member of the Party of Regions Andrey Klyuev. At one time it was a very influential politician. The last position held by Andrei Klyuyev before he fled to the Russian Federation – the head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych. Andrey Klyuev was one of the most active initiators of the introduction in Ukraine of a green tariff for electricity from renewable sources. In addition, Klyuev made efforts to become a monopolist and be the only recipient of the green tariff in Ukraine. For this purpose, on his initiative, a requirement was approved, allowing to sell electricity at a green tariff only to those power plants, which consist of Ukrainian components, and the only plant «Silinipolymer», which produced Ukrainian solar panels, also belonged to Kluev.
Thus, thanks to the initiative of influential Ukrainian politicians, Ukraine introduced the highest in Europe green tariffs and even with restrictions allowing to monopolize this segment of the market. Due to this situation, for a long time green energy in Ukraine was developing slowly, and the benefits of the green tariff were enjoyed only by privileged politicians or close to power businessmen.
To date, the largest producer of green electricity in Ukraine is the energy holding DTEK. Second place goes to the Chinese group CNBM, which bought solar power plants from Andrei Klyuev after his flight to Russia.
