Foreign Direct Investment in Ukraine

 In the first nine months of 2014 Ukraine has lost 16.6% of all direct foreign investments raised to the economy from the date of independence. It accounts for USD 9.6 billion in monetary terms.  At the same time, we believe that the state has already passed the peak of investment losses. Read more >>>
Economy Watch

Producers of alternative fuels ask government to reduce tax pressure

In its  letter to the  government Ukrainian Association of Alternative Transport Fuel Producers asks do not increase excise tax, what may kill emerging industry. Recently created  biofuel production capacities are around 80 thousand tons per year, or just 2% of overall transport fuel market. Read more >>>
oilnews.com.ua

Russia says to supply coal, electricity to Ukraine

Russia plans to supply 500,000 tonnes of coal to Ukraine per month, according to Russian officials . It is ready to supply another 500,000 tonnes per month if an additional agreement is reached, he added. Ukraine's coal reserves stand at 1.5 million tonnes compared with normal winter stocks of 4-5 million.  Read more >>> 

Reuters

No definitive deal in Lima climate change talks

The 20th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference mainly had a two-point agenda: to come up with a blueprint for a hopeful Paris Agreement next year and finalise the form and content of INDCs, or Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, to be submitted by early 2015. Put simply, on how much each country, rich or poor, is willing to reduce carbon emissions.
No definitive deal was clinched at the global climate change talks that concluded in Peru recently. There wasn’t supposed to be one. The Lima Call for Climate Action can at the very best be seen as a “statement of good intentions”.  Read more >>>
The Tribune

Ukraine’s economy needs Western help

Preventing economic collapse will require $15 billion in fresh assistance to Ukraine in 2015, on top of the $17 billion International Monetary Fund bailout arranged this year, according to the European Union. An IMF mission left Kiev on Friday without committing to the next payment in the previous bailout program, scheduled for January — much less the $7 billion to $8 billion in additional IMF capital Ukraine needs. Western governments have said additional support must be linked to a credible economic reform program. Read more >>>
The Washington Post
The Economic Times

Association Agreement should boost Ukraine's energy efficiency

By signing the Association Agreement, Ukraine obliged itself to converge with the higher European standards on energy efficiency and competition in the energy market. Fulfilling this obligation, Ukraine, currently the world’s least energy efficient economy, could get closer to the EU’s performance, one of the best in the world. In fact, this will mean the adoption of various European regulations aimed at increasing energy efficiency. Read more >>>
KyivPost

WB approves $378.4 million loan to Ukraine to upgrade power transmission system

World Bank’s loan is intended for the Second Power Transmission Project to improve the reliability of the power transmission system and support the implementation of the Wholesale Electricity Market in Ukraine. With this new project, the Bank is stepping up its support for the country’s energy sector reforms. Read more >>>
The World Bank 

One of the major power plants is shutdown because of shortage of coal

According to Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and Coal, blocking of  сoal supply from Donbass region by separatists is the main reason of shutdown of Trypilska thermal power plant near Kyiv. Another major  power plant near Kharkiv has fuel left only for few days of operation. Read more >>>
epravda.com.

American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine presented paper "Reforms in Oil and Natural Gas Sector"

White paper was prepared recently by members of the Chamber's Committee on energy. Read more and download the paper >>>
UA-Energy

Gas in Ukraine

 Ukraine’s prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, says Ukraine’s independence is compromised by its energy dependence on Russia. Energy prices need to be raised to market levels, with subsidies only for the neediest. Energy conglomerates, including Naftogaz, must be broken up. Ukraine has to do this both to balance its budget and as a member of the European Energy Community treaty. Read more >>>
Economist

Can Nuclear Energy Save the World?

In 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations-based organization that is the leading international body for the assessment of climate risk, issued a desperate call for more non-emitting power sources. According to the IPCC, in order to mitigate climate change and meet growing energy demands, the world must aggressively expand its sources of renewable energy, and it must also build more than 400 new nuclear reactors in the next 20 years—a near-doubling of today’s global fleet of 435 reactors. Read more >>>
Newsweek

Lima Call for Climate Action Puts World on Track to Paris 2015

UNFCCC in its press release says that a new 2015 agreement on climate change, that will harness action by all nations, took a further important step forward in Lima following two weeks of negotiations by over 190 countries. The Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) will form the foundation for climate action post 2020 when the new agreement is set to come into effect. Countries also made significant progress in elevating adaptation onto the same level as action to cut and curb emissions. Read more >>>
UNFCCC

Government proposed four new legislative acts to improve energy efficiency in Ukraine

Minister of regional development, construction and communal services informed parliament that heat losses in municipal heat supply systems are almost 50%.. He proposed draft Law on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Three other energy efficiency related acts were submitted  to Ukrainian Parliament for consideration and approval. read more >>>
Eco Town

Kyiv Municipality conducted energy audit of residential buildings

Based on the results of audits Deputy Mayor says that about third of buildings are very energy wasteful. Installation of heat meters in each building  is one of the first steps towards saving energy. Read more >>>
UNIAN

Australia in talks to help Ukraine avoid energy crisis by exporting uranium and coal

Ukraine's president Petro Poroshenko is in Australia for a two day state visit. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has revealed Australia is in talks with Ukraine about the possibility of exporting Australian uranium and coal to the war-torn European country. Read more >>>
au.news.yahoo.com

Ukraine to raise prices, tariffs on energy to economically reasonable level

Ukraine will raise prices and tariffs for all kinds of energy to an economically reasonable level, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has told at a government meeting. "Concerning subsidies in the energy sector, we are compelled to pay the real market price for energy resources. Otherwise, Naftogaz's deficit will remain above the national budget deficit forever." Read more >>>  Interfax-Ukraine.

IMF team visits Ukraine to assess its energy needs

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)  sends a team to Ukraine to determine how much extra aid the energy-starved country would need during the upcoming winter. Read more >>>
PRESSTV

Ukraine’s New Cabinet of Ministers Starts its Work

Ukraine’s new cabinet won approval last week to take office and must set to work fixing the economy and tackling a war. President Petro Poroshenko granted citizenship to three foreigners to let them take ministerial posts. The cabinet must now pass a 2015 budget to get $2.8 billion in International Monetary Fund aid. Read more >>>
Bloomberg

Ukrainian government brought the Regulation on State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine into accordance with EU practices

Main idea behind approval of new Regulation is to meet Ukrainian commitments under EU-Ukraine Association Agreement regarding harmonization of national legislation and standards on energy efficiency with European. Read more >>>
http://saee.gov.ua/

Financial Times: The economic collapse of Ukraine must be halted

Ukraine is in the throes of a financial crisis that urgently demands a response from western governments. The security threat to the country may be the primary focus in the west, following Russia's seizure of Crimea and its military intervention in eastern Ukraine. But Vladimir Putin's military tactics seem primarily designed to fuel an economic meltdown which destabilises Kyiv. Western governments and the International Monetary Fund now need to act fast to bring Ukraine back from the brink of financial collapse. Read more >>>

KyivPost

Accident at nuclear power plant in Ukraine: Electricity crisis across country worsens

A minor accident occurred at Zaporozhskaya nuclear plant, the largest in Europe, last Friday, according to the facility’s website. A reactor was switched off and put to maintenance as a result.  Volodymyr Demchyshyn, the new energy minister, said that the fault posed no danger and the plant would return to running as normal on Friday. Read more >>>
Daily Mail

Austria Showcase in Kyiv: Energy Efficiency. Renewable Energy

On December 4th Advantage Austria Kyiv organizes a business workshop called “Austria Showcase Energy efficiency, Renewable energy”. Participants are invited to meet representatives of the Austrian companies  who will present their firms and products. Read more >>>

Will Lima climate talks pave way for a binding treaty in Paris in 2015?

When, on Monday morning in Peru, 4,000 diplomats from the world’s 196 countries start their  session to negotiate a new legally-binding global climate deal, they will know they have last chance to come to agreement  before Paris meeting  in a year’s time, when the deal is due to be signed. Read more >>>
The Guardian

Oil prices plunge -winners and losers

The price of oil was down more than 9.9 percent last Friday afternoon and stopped its fall just above $67 per barrel after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries decided it would not cut back production significantly in the months ahead. The falling price of oil looks likely to be one of the dominant forces shaping the global economy in 2015. Read more>>>
The New York Times

Ukrainian Government approved action plan for implementation of the EU Energy Directives on energy efficiency

The action plan is developed to fulfill commitments under Energy Community, organisation which aim  is to extend the EU internal energy market to South East Europe and beyond on the basis of a legally binding framework, including harmonization of Ukrainian national energy legislation with EU legislation. The plan is focused on implementation of the following Directives:
- Directive 2006/32/EC on energy end-use efficiency and energy services 
- Directive 2010/30/EU  on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products 
- Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings. More details >>>
www.rbc.ua/

United Kingdom will donate £720m to UN’s Green Climate Fund

UK is offering the equivalent of $1.13 billion, more than the $1 billion pledged each by Germany and France to Green Climate Fund which has a target of $10 billion. The UK commitment to the fund, seen as a vital step towards rich and poor nations sealing a deal to tackle global warming in 2015, is surpassed only by the US and Japan. Read more>>>
GreenWise

Improving energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption should be the key priority of Ukraine's energy policy

Economic and political turmoil in Ukraine has already led to a significant reduction in energy consumption in the country. According to Ukraine's State Statistics Committee, from January to September, consumption of electricity fell by 5.8% and natural gas by 16.6%, compared with the same period last year. The country’s energy-saving potential could be as much as 50% of its current energy consumption. Read more >>>
EurActive.com

CO2 Emissions From Fuel Combustion Highlights 2014 by IEA

IEA published Highlights on the eve of the twentieth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC which to be held in Lima, Peru from 1-12 December 2014. This annual publication contains CO2 emissions data for more than 140 countries and regions for period  from 1971 to 2012. Read more>>>

IEA

Russia suspends coal supplies to Ukraine

Ukraine's energy minister Mr. Prodan said on Monday Russia had suspended coal supplies to Ukraine. which  would have to rely on Russian coal to get through the winter after the war in the east disrupted supplies to thermal power plants, which provide around 40 percent of the country's electricity, and left reserves critically low ahead of the cold season. Read more >>>
Reuters

Hydropower helps Ukraine to ease energy crisis

 Before the problems with energy supply, hydroelectric power stations produced electricity primarily during peak demand. Now, 70 percent of the  hydroelectric facilities operate at normal capacity around the clock. Hydropower accounts for about eight percent of electricity generated in Ukraine, whereas the average rate around the world is roughly 15 percent. Nevertheless, Ukrainian experts are convinced that the country has enough resources to achieve this level. Read more>>>
PRNewsWire

How to connect renewable energy facilities to the grid and get the "green" tariff

Specialized seminar  on above topic  to be held on 10th December, 2014 in Kyiv (Conference Hall Green Well). Read more >>>
http://greentariff12.ticketforevent.com/en/

Ukraine's struggling economy is in desperate need of investment

In April the IMF co-ordinated a bail-out to which it pledged to contribute $17 billion over two years. A coalition of Western countries provided smaller amounts. So far about $7 billion has been dispersed. But Ukraine needs more than temporary financing. Read more >>>\
The Economist

Ukrainian Energy Auditors Association meeting

Ukrainian Energy Auditors Association meeting took place in Kyiv last week. Over 100 energy auditors and experts participated. Current status and perspectives of future development of energy services market in Ukraine were discussed. Read more >>>
http://aea.org.ua/

IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2014 - important messages

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2014 was presented in Brussels on November 14.  Just like a year ago, it warns that long-term oil supplies are far from secure, with the Middle East re-establishing itself as the main supplier in the long-term. Moreover, while low-carbon sources (renewables and nuclear) may provide a quarter of global energy supplies by 2040, the world is still set for a 3.6 degree temperature rise. Read more >>>
EnergyPost.eu

Small countries providing big climate change solutions

Decarbonisation of energy is being implemented around the world, including from some countries that don’t take up much space on a globe.  Small in landmass and population but packing a punch, check out some of their highlights below. Read more >>>
Decarboni.se 

Coal extraction in Donetsk oblast dropped by 65% in October

Coal mines in Donetsk oblast produced just 1.1 million ton of coal in  October what is about one third of coal production in October of the last year. Most of coal, over 0.9 million ton,  were extracted in the area under Ukrainian government control. Read more >>>
www.pravda.com.ua

U.S., EU Weigh More Sanctions

Representatives of the EU’s 28 member states and the U.S. are meeting in Brussels to discuss imposing new penalties on individuals or on the Russian economy for the country’s interference in Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine has claimed 4,000 lives since fighting began in mid-April, in what’s become the worst geopolitical standoff between Russia and its former Cold War foes since the Iron Curtain fell 25 years ago. Read more >>>
Bloomberg

Ukraine’s economic freedom depends more on its energy freedom than on any other single factor

In its 23 years of independence, Ukraine has achieved little to build its energy security. Ukraine imports over 60% of its natural gas consumption and over 80% of its crude oil consumption, mostly from Russia. Yet its abundant energy resources could provide for more than 100 years of natural gas consumption and transform the country into a net exporter of energy. Read more >>> 

The Globalist

China and US agree on ambitious greenhouse gas emissions targets

China and the US, which together produce around 45 per cent of the world's carbon dioxide, will be key to ensuring that a global deal on reducing emissions after 2020 is reached in Paris next year. It is the first time China, the world's biggest polluter, has set a date for its emissions to stop increasing. At the same time the US set a goal to cut its own emissions of the gases blamed for climate change by 26-28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2025. Read more >>>
ABC News

The loss of the mining region forced Ukraine to seek coal supplies elsewhere

Ukraine extracts about 1 percent of the world's coal output, making it the third biggest producer in Europe and a traditional exporter. Donbass, an area in the country's east that includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, contains more than 140 mines, only 37 of which remain under Ukrainian control. Read more >>>
Bloomberg View

"Greencubator" to help clean energy start-ups gain funding in Ukraine

A cold winter may be coming for Ukraine, and possibly a new cold war.  While coal-producing oligarchs receive government subsidies there seems little incentive to invest in more efficient, lower-carbon technologies. But green start-ups are offering green shoots of hope. Read more >>> 
BBC

Ukraine approved National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) and submitted it to Energy Community Secretariat

The NREAP aims to reach the binding 11% renewable energy target in gross final energy consumption by 2020. In addition to the 11% share of energy from renewable sources in electricity. The 2020 targets for the share of energy from renewable sources used for heating and transport have been set to 12,4% and 10% respectively. Read more at http://www.energy-community.org

Ukraine - National Renewable Energy Action Plan  - full text

Ukraine's options towards energy independence

Gas pipelines to EU, shale gas, nuclear power privatization part of Ukraine’s energy independence plan. The key figure to reach is 45 billion cubic meters -- the amount of natural gas that Ukraine is expected to consume this year. Read more >>> 
Kyiv Post

Wind electricity production is growing in Ukraine

Round table "Current state and prospects of wind energy development in Ukraine" organized by the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine (SAEE) jointly with Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and Ukrainian Wind Energy Association. Wind energy has become an industry that has 500 MW installed capacity, as of October 1, 2014. The dynamics of its development is one of the best among the European countries. Read more >>>
SAEE

Should EU become a major stakeholder or lessee of Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-owned energy company?

Naftogaz is responsible for importing and distributing Russian gas in Ukraine. The company also holds a monopoly on sending Russian gas via Ukraine to Europe. During the first six months of 2014 alone company ran up debts of over $4.4 billion, according to Naftogaz itself. However, under clean and transparent management, Naftogaz could become a highly competitive company. Read more >>>
Carnegie Europe

IPCC just published CLIMATE CHANGE 2014 SYNTHESIS REPORT

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its synthesis report, a summary of its last three reports. It warns greenhouse gas levels are at their highest they have been in 800,000 years, with recent increases mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels. Read more >>>  

IPCC

VII International Trade Fair «ENERGY EFFICIENCY. RENEWABLE ENERGY - 2014»

The event will take place in Kyiv on November 4-7, 2014  in Kyiv. Renewable energy, alternative types of fuel, energy efficiency in power sector, industry, buildings and communal services are  among main topics of the trade fair. Read more >>>
www.iec-expo.com.ua/en/

Coal Miners Stuck in the Middle of Ukraine's War

About 55 percent of all the country's coal mines are located in a relatively small area controlled by the pro-Russian rebels who declared independence in May. The front line between the warring parties separates the mineral wealth of the Donetsk region from Ukraine's energy plants and grids, endangering both the region's future and Ukraine's entire energy security. As of mid-October, only 24 out of the 93 coal mines in the region were operational. Cut off from electricity for weeks, many mines got flooded. Read more >>>
ABC News

Ukraine, Russia and EU Reach Gas Supply Deal

The terms include the EU acting as guarantor for Ukraine's gas purchases from Russia and helping to meet outstanding debts. The total package is worth $4.6bn (£2.87bn), with money coming from the International Monetary Fund as well as the EU. The total includes funds from existing accords with the EU and IMF. Ukraine will pay $378 per 1,000 cubic metres to the end of 2014, and $365 in the first quarter of 2015. Read more>>>

BBC News

EBRD arranges financing package of EUR 14 million to improve district heating in Lutsk

The proceeds will be used to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy losses, gas and electricity consumption and improve district heating services for almost 150,000 residents in Lutsk in almost 55,000 households. The loan will finance the installation of 210 individual heating sub-stations and a bio-fuel boiler with a net capacity of approximately 2.5MW. It will also help decommission 11 inefficient basement boilers; replace 19 obsolete small boilers with modern high efficiency gas boilers; modernise 15 boiler houses; and replace almost 13 kilometres of distribution network pipes with pre-insulated pipes. Read more >>>
EBRD

Ukrainian Prime Minister discussed energy security with U.S. Senator

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk on Tuesday held a meeting with U.S. Senator James Inhofe. During the conversation he said that Ukraine would continue to make efforts to diversify energy supply sources to reduce its dependence on Russia. Read more >>>
Interfax-Ukraine

6th Annual International Ukrainian Energy Forum

2 - 5 March 2015, InterContinental Hotel, Kyiv, Ukraine. Diversifying supplies and increasing domestic production to achieve energy security are among main topics of upcoming Forum..
Other key issues that will surely be debated at length include electricity sector new market model, development of the oil & gas service industry, renewables and unconventional hydrocarbons. Read more >>>
http://www.ukrainianenergy.com/

European leaders agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030

As well as the greenhouse gas, two 27% targets were agreed – for renewable energy market share and increase in energy efficiency improvement. The former would be binding only on the EU as a whole. The latter would be optional, although it could be raised to 30% by a review in 2020. Read more >>>
.theguardian

Ukraine's gas consumption will be cut by 24.5% this winter - Naftogaz

Ukraine's national oil and gas company, Naftogaz Ukrainy, forecasts a reduction in natural gas consumption by 8.6 billion cubic meters to 26.7 billion cubic meters during the current 2014-2015 heating season, down 24.5% from the previous one. This figure includes 10 billion cubic meters produced domestically, 5.7 billion cubic meters of reversed natural gas, and a significant amount will be pumped from the underground storage facilities which contain 16.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Read more >>>
Interfax-Ukraine

EBRD’s Ukraine Sustainable Energy Lending Facility supports carbon offsetting

EBRD supports  carbon offsetting through its Ukraine Sustainable Energy Lending Facility (USELF). It is a credit programme worth €140 million, available for small and medium-sized renewable energy projects ranging from hydro, wind, biomass and biogas to solar energy ventures. Read more >>>
By EBRD

Ukraine fears frozen conflict could yield winter energy crisis

Imports of Russian natural gas have been cut off since June amid a price and debt dispute that has run alongside their military confrontation in eastern Ukraine. That has already prompted cold showers as the government has resorted to rationing domestically produced gas by cutting centrally provided hot water to flats. Read more >>>
By http://www.ft.com/

Ukraine Facing Overall Energy Crisis as Internal Conflict Affects Both Gas, Coal: Expert

Ukraine is not only facing a gas crisis this coming winter, but also a possible overall energy crisis due to disruptions in coal mining and transportation facilities Read more >>>
By http://en.ria.ru/

Ukrainian Government Approves Ambitious New Wind Energy Goals

The Ukrainian government has issued a state decree calling for the country's wind capacity to reach 2.28GW by 2020, an increase of 500% on current figure of 410MW. Read more >>> 
By http://www.windpowermonthly.com/

US Involved in Discussions About Ukraine's Gas Needs: US State Department

The United States is involved in the ongoing discussion about the Ukrainian gas needs, and wants to see the issue resolved, US Department of State Spokeswoman Jen Psaki stated at a press briefing Tuesday.US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz stated that it is impossible to reach significant proportions of natural gas exports until the end of the current decade. He also stressed that there was no quick fix of the problem when answering the question whether the dependency of Ukraine on Russia’s gas could be decreased with America’s assistance.  Read more >>> 
By http://en.ria.ru/

Historic Climate Summit Opens New Chapter in Global Efforts to Tackle Climate Change

New York, 23 September – New commitments, new ideas, and new financing for significant actions to address the challenge of climate change dominated the announcements made by more than 100 Heads of State and Government and leaders from the private sector and civil society at the Climate Summit hosted Tuesday by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
World leaders reaffirmed the need to take urgent action to limit global temperature rise to less than two degrees Celsius. Acknowledging that the world was not on a pathway to reach that goal, they also committed to significantly ramp up climate action, Read more >>>
By http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/

Wall Street Journal: Russia's nuclear energy ambitions run into trouble over Ukraine

When it comes to expanding its influence in Europe through energy, Russia has been looking to move beyond natural gas into financing for nuclear-energy projects. But its investment push has become complicated by rising political tensions over the Ukraine crisis.Read more >>>

By Wall Street Journal:

Canada and U.S. are going to help Ukraine to reduce dependence on energy import

Canada's Natural Resources Minister  and U.S. Energy Secretary met in Ottawa and discussed ways to help Ukraine to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. Increase of use of national energy resources, diversification of energy import, as well as energy efficiency measures and renewable energy should be parts of the solution.
Energy experts from both countries have been working to identify Ukraine's critical energy needs and the state of energy efficiency and conservation efforts in the country.
North American geological survey teams have gone on mission to Ukraine to evaluate the access to, and quality of, oil and gas geological data. Read more....
By CBCNews

The 6th International Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Forum in Ukraine, REF-2014 Kyiv

Apart from a highly topical programme covering more than 60 reports and presentations of the best industry experts and key market players, REF-2014 Kyiv will also run a branch exhibition where a variety of services and equipment from the leading companies both foreign and Ukrainian will be presented. A separate part of REF-2014 Kyiv exposition is named “Secure heating season 2014-2015” and will be related to the decisions, equipment and fuel necessary to guarantee a viable upcoming heating season. Read more >>>
By http://www.energyforumua.com/