Light Under Fire: Energy Lessons from Ukraine
A very interesting session at the Octopus Summit1 featured Maxim Timchenko, CEO of a Ukrainian energy company called DTEK2. He spoke about how they have maintained their power grid through three winters of relentless attacks.
He spoke about how they managed to keep the lights on and survive three winters, despite their energy infrastructure being pounded day and night by Russian Iskander missiles3. It took Ukraine only one year to install rooftop solar panels that provide 4% of their energy needs. He also mentioned the strategic advantage of green energy production: it takes only one Iskander missile to destroy a coal power plant, but fifty to take down a wind farm.
Everyone on the stage agreed that the knowledge and experience the Ukrainians gained by dealing with their problems will make them leaders in energy production and consulting after the war. They managed to build an agile, low-cost, and modern energy grid under the harshest conditions, and this will be invaluable for the rest of the world. Fingers crossed! There are success stories – South Korea, Germany.
Not that I had any doubt, but energy security is national security, and there is a correlation between energy security and fossil fuel.
It is good to be reminded why I am doing this. Decarbonising means freedom, too. And less financial support for the meanies.