By KYIV. Dec 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Experts from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as part of the European Commission’s initiative to install solar panels for Ukrainian hospitals, assessed 26 healthcare institutions in Kyiv, Odesa, Zhytomyr and Volyn regions, the Ministry of Energy has reported.
According to its press release, as part of studies made in coordination with the Ministry of Energy, including the collection of data on energy consumption and comprehensive surveys of buildings, recommendations for energy efficiency were developed.
Preliminary estimates indicate that partner-provided solar energy systems could potentially reduce overall electricity consumption for these facilities by 25%, according to the press release.
In total, it is planned to transfer 5,700 units of relevant equipment to Ukraine, and a batch of solar panels provided by the Italian company ENEL will soon arrive.
“We thank our partners from the European Commission, UNDP and ENEL for their participation in the implementation of this important initiative. The installation of solar panels at civil infrastructure facilities will ensure an autonomous and stable energy supply to consumers even in the face of enemy attacks on the facilities of the Ukrainian energy system,” Ukrainian Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko said.
In turn, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Jaco Cilliers said that the organization strives to help Ukraine not only rebuild what was destroyed by the enemy, but also promotes more sustainable and carbon-neutral energy for future generations.
As reported, at the beginning of the year, the initiative to provide stable power supplies to Ukrainian hospitals was announced by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
In March, the Ministry of Energy, following an online meeting between Haluschenko, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson and Enel CEO Francesco Starace, announced that Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, would receive 5,700 solar PV systems with a capacity of 350 W each by the summer.
