The first wind farm worldwide built in an active military conflict zone has been completed. Tiligulskaya Wind Farm, located only 100 km from the front line, in the southern part of the Mikolayev Oblast, already started to deliver green electricity. Phase 1 of the project includes 19 turbines powering 200,000 households every year. This is an important step towards development of clean energy in Ukraine and improvement of energy security of Europe. Post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and its energy independence will be the main themes of the Ukrainian-Polish Renewable Energy Round Table during PWEA2023 in Serock.
DTEK started investment works on Tiligulskaya Wind Farm at the end of 2021. In February 2022, having installed 6 turbines, the investor suspended construction works after the Russian invasion. At the time Russian troops were attacking Mikolayev, and foreign partners were forced to evacuate personnel and equipment.
The works were resumed in summer 2022, with a 100% Ukrainian crew of 650 in the busiest moments. The personnel worked in bulletproof vests and from August 2022 to April 2023 spent more than 300 hours in bomb shelters protecting them from continuous missile threat.
Within 1.5 years the team installed 114 MW of capacity — two times more than usually for a project of this size. This is an extraordinary achievement given the very difficult environment. The investment comprises 19 turbines with a capacity of 6 MW each — one of the largest and most modern wind turbines currently being installed worldwide.
“Tiigulskaya Wind Farm is the symbol of Ukrainian resistance to Russian attempts to intimidate Ukraine and force its submission. Projects such as Tiligulskaya let us rebuild a more green and cleaner Ukraine and become a key partner in the energy future of Europe. By developing infrastructure based on distributed, rather than centralised, energy production, we create more resilient and stable supply,” Maxim Timcheno, CEO DTK said.
Phase 2 plans provide for up to 64 additional turbines to bring installed capacity to 500 MW. This will make the project the largest wind farm in Eastern Europe, securing safe electricity for homes and companies in southern Ukraine.
“Before the war, wind energy development in Ukraine was primarily perceived as an alternative for natural gas imported from Russia. Today, the industry should become one of the main tools for the construction of a decentralised energy system in Ukraine, allowing us to avoid blackouts we faced this winter. By commissioning the Tiligulskaya Wind Farm we are sending a message to our international partners that they can invest in Ukraine already today, without waiting for the war to end,” Andrij Konechenkov, President of the Board of the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association said.
Polish contribution to reconstruction of Ukraine
Discussions how to help Ukraine recover from war damage are being held both in Poland and internationally. How Poland should become involved in the process will be discussed by participants of the Ukrainian-Polish Renewable Energy Round Table to be held during PWEA2023 in Serock on 20 June 2023.
The Round Table will discuss issues key to the revival of the Ukrainian energy sector — main objectives, challenges, and the role of RES. The discussion will also include securing funds for the necessary, post-war reconstruction and the importance of financial institutions in the development of a friendly environment for business cooperation in the context of renewable energy sources.
“Currently, the Ukrainian energy sector is undergoing a difficult transition. The situation should improve after the end of the war, but currently Ukraine is dependent upon imported fossil fuels, with many thermal power plants damaged and out of operation. In such circumstances there is an urgent need to develop renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels and reduce dependency on imports,” Janusz Gajowiecki, President of the Polish Wind Energy Association said.
More about market investments in Ukraine and support in the reconstruction of the energy system during the Round Table: Reconstruction of Ukraine vs Energy Transition in Poland on 20 June, 16.30 hours.
More information about PWEA2023 is available at the event’s website: https://konferencjapsew.pl/.