Distributed energy generation: will it help warm Ukrainian homes this winter?
12 November 11:45
ANALYSIS FROM 
Given the intensification of enemy attacks and the approach of winter, many Ukrainians now perceive the use of distributed energy generation facilities as a lifesaving option for providing the country with electricity and heat. To what extent is the potential of distributed generation in Ukraine sufficient for this purpose, "Komersant Ukrainian" found out.
Distributed generation facilities began to appear in Ukraine, and in a fairly large number, long before the full-scale invasion. Those who are surprised by this can be reminded that distributed generation facilities, for example, are the same solar power plants of various capacities that have been constantly supporting the Ukrainian power grid with their energy, ensuring its stability. This powerful energy community also includes wind farms, cogeneration plants, biogas plants, and, more recently, industrial energy storage.
Stanislav Ignatiev, PhD, an expert at the Ukrainian Institute of the Future, estimates the total potential of this generation:
“Today we have, if we call both solar stations and wind farms distributed generation, we have 8.2 gigawatts of installed capacity of such generation. This is practically like all our nuclear power plants.”
But such power alone is not a guarantee of a stable supply of electricity and heat in times of war.
“Zelensky’s Gigawatts”
Problems with energy supply caused by enemy attacks on energy facilities have intensified the development of distributed generation. Last June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to build 1 gigawatt of distributed generation in Ukraine by the end of 2024. And on December 31, it became known about the actual implementation of these plans.
Stanislav Ignatiev, Doctor of Technical Sciences, expert at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, continues.
“Over the past 2024, businesses and territorial communities built 982 megawatts, or almost 1 gigawatt of distributed generation. 587 megawatts are occupied by rooftop solar stations. This is done by large shopping centers, supermarket chains, and logistics terminals,” the expert states.
For more information, see the maps compiled by Stanislav Ignatiev.
According to Stanislav Ihnatiev’s estimates, another 1 gigawatt of distributed generation appeared in Ukraine during the first half of 2025. As noted in the study he prepared, in the first six months of the year
– 322 MW of cogeneration plants connected to the networks of transmission system operators and distribution system operators were built by state and private companies;
– legal entities commissioned 318.4 MW of rooftop SPPs (according to the registers of the State Inspectorate of Architecture and Urban Development) without connection to the grid, and 101.4 MW of grid-connected industrial SPPs were built;
– 84 MW of wind farms were connected to the grid (according to the Wind Energy Association);
– 20 MW of grid storage was put into operation (this is a project of OKKO Energy LLC in Stryi, which aims to provide ancillary services to NPC Ukrenergo), and 28.2 MW of electricity storage was built by enterprises to cover their own needs.
It is important that distributed generation is already actively working and helping in difficult situations. Stanislav Ignatiev cites the example of Kharkiv.
“It is very important that water utilities do the same, because if there is no stable power supply and the pumping group does not work, the city is actually left without water. And, for example, last Saturday and Sunday, Kharkiv was actually operating as an energy island. That is, there was no centralized water supply. How did this island work? For example, gas piston plants, which were installed both through international technical assistance programs, i.e. grants, and at our own expense, helped. For example, last year, the city council held 2.2 billion hryvnias worth of tenders for such gas piston units, i.e. powerful generators, for water utilities,” the expert notes.
Distributed alternative
Cogeneration units, especially gas-piston ones, have recently been discussed as a kind of “alternative” in case of problems with district heating. It is clear why cogeneration units deserve such attention. They can produce electricity and heat simultaneously.
As explained on the website of one of the companies that installs such units, natural gas is usually used as an energy carrier, but biogas, diesel, or solid fuel can also be used. Accordingly, there are gas-piston and gas-turbine cogeneration units that run on natural gas, as well as biogas and solid fuel units.
And where the availability of such plants was taken care of in time, they can really help. Daria Orlova, electricity market analyst at ExPro agency, continues.
“In the current conditions, they are very useful for the power system, for heat supply, because, in fact, when there are blackouts across the country, this is a backup critical power supply, especially for critical infrastructure facilities, for boiler houses, for water utilities, for hospitals, and so on. This is a very important component in the power system that helps to power critical infrastructure,” the expert states.
However, there are even more eloquent examples in terms of the opportunities offered by gas reciprocating units. Stanislav Ignatiev, Doctor of Technical Sciences, expert of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future, recalls the experience of the city of Khmelnytsky, where gas piston units were purchased at their own expense and with the help of international technical assistance and installed at large city boiler houses.
“What is interesting about this case? It ensures the operation of the pumping group so that the townspeople have heat supply, and it additionally provides heat generation. And there is another advantage. There are small boiler houses where it makes no sense to install gas piston units. And this is the first district heating company to build its own power grid and provide boiler houses with its own power supply. In fact, Khmelnytskyi is the first regional center that can operate as a thermal energy island even in blackout mode,” the expert emphasizes.
However, it is worth explaining here: Khmelnytsky began working on an autonomous and cost-effective energy supply long before the full-scale invasion.
“We initially installed twelve generators and did not plan to install more because there was no need. When the big war started and there were problems with electricity, we began to deliver additional generators,” Vasyl Novachok, deputy mayor of the city, told EP in an interview more than a year ago.
In the beginning, he said, it was simply about economics: cheap gas made it possible to get very cheap electricity. Now it is primarily about safety and backup power. Especially since the price of gas is completely different. And there are problems with gas.
Daria Orlova, an electricity market analyst at ExPro agency, also says this.
“Many of these installations use gas, so they are gas-fired generation. And, accordingly, an additional resource is needed. And it can be relatively expensive electricity. The price of gas for such plants has been slightly raised, although it still remains preferential. The issue of gas supplies is also relevant now, given the attacks on the gas infrastructure,” states Daria Orlova.
And these are not all the problems that those who set up such installations on the ground have to overcome. Stanislav Ignatiev continues.
“Especially in small towns and frontline areas where such units were purchased, there are problems with their installation. For example, the city of Voznesensk in Mykolaiv region. Most businesses there have left, and the city budget is not being filled. And the cost of installing a gas piston plant is about the same as the cost of the plant itself,” the expert states.
The good news is that, according to Stanislav Ignatiev, the permitting procedures have been simplified as much as possible.
“Previously, it took up to six months to connect to gas distribution networks, but today this period has been reduced to 30 calendar days. As for the approval of project documentation with regional power distribution companies and Ukrenergo, according to a special resolution, they have exactly two days to approve project documentation,” the expert notes.
And the funds are available when needed. on October 22, after an enemy attack on Kyiv’s critical infrastructure facilities, many houses in 7 districts of the capital were left without hot water. And on October 24, it became known that the city authorities had allocated 548 million hryvnias to ensure the uninterrupted operation and energy independence of water supply and sewage systems. But this raises a logical question: why wasn’t there enough money for this earlier?
Author: Sergiy Vasilevich
