Due to the Russian war, half of the renewable energy facilities in Ukraine are threatened with complete or partial destruction as of March 11, 2022, according to the Ukrainian Association of Renewable Energy.
Ukraine has achieved significant results in developing renewable energy, including small hydropower: the installed capacity was 9.5 GW as of the beginning of 2022, and total investment was more than $12 billion. To destroy energy infrastructure is one of the war tactics of the Russian Federation, the association said. The occupiers have seized the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear plants, fired at and exposed to air strikes thermal plants, and destroyed electric transmission lines, gas pipelines, fuel storage depots and other energy infrastructure.
Nearly half (47%) of the installed capacity of renewable energy plants is located in the regions where active hostilities are taking place or adjacent to these areas. Fortunately, small hydropower fares slightly better than other technologies, as only 16% of them are located in areas of active hostilities.
By comparison, 89% of the wind farm capacity is located in areas where active hostilities are under way and another 9% are in close proximity to regions with active hostilities. More than half of the wind farms in Ukraine have already been shut down, according to the association. In addition, 37% of the ground solar plants, 35% of the roof/facade solar plants and 48% of the biomass stations are also located in areas of active hostilities, while 34%, 19% and 42%, respectively, are in neighboring areas with an extremely high probability of hostilities. Only 29% of biogas plants are located in areas of active hostilities.
As a result of the Russian military invasion, assets worth more than $5.6 billion in capital investment are in active hostilities regions. More than $3.6 billion in capital investment is in the regions adjacent to the areas where active hostilities are taking place. Accordingly, more than 3,970 MW of renewable capacity is in areas of imminent threat of complete or partial destruction. Moreover, more than 2,400 MW are located in areas adjacent to active hostilities or some stations have already been destroyed.
Some of the renewable energy stations have been shut down due to equipment damage or because of electric transmission line destruction. There are registered cases of destruction of wind turbines, solar panels, electrical equipment of renewable energy stations, electric transmission lines, and electrical substations, the association said. Soldiers of the Russian occupation forces steal equipment from the stations.
“An armed invasion on a peaceful country is a war crime,” UARE said. Given the cost of capital investment; the cost of restoring generation capacity, transmission lines and equipment; and compensation for health and lives of renewable energy workers in Ukraine, the sector will demand compensation from Russian invaders in international courts. Damage caused by the Russian occupiers to all Ukrainian and international businesses on the territory of Ukraine must be compensated through international litigation, the association said.
