A solar power plant was installed in Rivne for the City Dental Clinic. Its capacity is 33.5 kW. The power plant will guarantee higher energy security for the medical institution, especially during the next heating season. Visitors to the clinic will receive services regardless of emergency or scheduled power outages.
The city authorities received UAH 987,500 for installation from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. The rest – almost UAH 2 million – was allocated from the community budget.
“We have seen that critical infrastructure must work even with no electricity. Such pilot projects demonstrate the willingness of communities to cooperate with private companies and enter the Ukrainian market,” the German Embassy in Ukraine comments.
About 170 thousand patients visit the Rivne City Dental Clinic annually. The facility has an emergency room open around the clock. Therefore, the lack of electricity threatens the operation of the equipment that allows for surgical interventions.
“The solar power plant will cover about 30% of the dentistry’s electricity needs. During power outages, it will work with a generator, so its operation will help save fuel costs. According to preliminary estimates, the planned electricity savings will be about UAH 150,000 annually. The saved funds can be invested in implementing other energy efficiency measures,” says Dmytro Sakaliuk, an expert at the NGO Ecoclub.
“This pilot project will ensure that the community’s development of renewable energy sources is important. We hope that the installed solar power plant will mark the beginning of our path to energy independence,” says Viktor Shakyrzian, Secretary of the City Council.
The solar power plant is being installed as part of the Solar Aid to Ukraine project launched by Ecoclub last year. Its goal is to contribute to the energy security of communities by installing solar power plants for hospitals and water utilities. In total, the project has already installed five solar power plants in Zhytomyr, Zvyagel (Zhytomyr Oblast), Dubno (Rivne Oblast), Sumy, anu8d Kremenchuk (Poltava Oblast).
Ecoclub has received about 400 requests from Ukrainian communities to install solar power plants for critical infrastructure. Our team continues to help find funding, partners and provide expert support for project implementation.
Read more about the Solar Aid for Ukraine project.