Last fall and winter, Russian missile attacks were aimed to destroy electrical power substations in Ukraine. During the shelling, municipalities lived in conditions of emergency power outages. To ensure the stable operation of critical infrastructure during possible attacks, it is necessary to develop decentralized renewable energy sources.
The city of Brovary in the Kyiv region has begun the path to its own energy security. Soon a solar power plant will be installed for the children’s ward of the Brovary Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital. Its operation will allow the medical facility to operate independently of the grid and increase energy efficiency. More than 25,000 children are treated here every year, so the lives of young patients depend on the stable operation of medical equipment.
The planned capacity of the solar power plant is 60 kW. The cooperation agreement was signed by Ecoclub, Yellow Blue Foundation, and Brovary City Council. The project budget is 40 thousand euros, including 10 thousand from the city budget and 30 thousand from the charity foundation Alba Care.
“Our municipality knows firsthand what it’s like to live with power outages. Therefore, it is extremely important for us to develop alternative energy sources. With this pilot project, we show our readiness to further implement renewable energy projects and strengthen energy security,” says Ihor Sapozhko, Mayor of Brovary.
The project will be implemented with the support of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, which was involved in the selection of the hospital.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the enemy has been deliberately attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. This jeopardizes the sustainability of the medical system. We are working to ensure that patients are able to receive all the necessary medical care uninterruptedly and in full, even in the face of emergency and rolling blackouts. I am grateful to our partners for their cooperation in providing hospitals with alternative uninterruptible power supplies. Now the treatment of more than 25 thousand children who receive medical care in the hospital in Brovary every year will not depend on the actions of Russian terrorists,” said Minister of Health of Ukraine Viktor Lyashko.
The Ministry of Health supports the installation of solar power plants for the needs of medical institutions, which will help them become energy independent and save money on utility bills.
“The YBF team of volunteers has been helping Ukraine’s medical sector since the beginning of the full-scale war. As part of the Light for Hospitals project, we have provided 25 hospitals with backup power sources – generators. It is important for us to protect these institutions from potential threats in the future and to lay the groundwork for a sustainable energy system. That is why we plan to develop green energy in Ukraine,” said Borys Danevych, co-founder of the Yellowblue Force Foundation.
The solar power plant is scheduled to be launched in late August. Specialists have already examined the hospital’s roof for solar power plant installation. Based on the results, they will develop the necessary documents for the installation and proper operation of the panels.
“We want more hospitals across Ukraine to receive electricity from renewable sources. Ecoclub’s experience in installing solar power plants for medical facilities in other regions shows that it is profitable and safe. Communities that are the first to develop renewable energy will have an easier time rebuilding based on sustainable principles,” emphasizes Dmytro Sakaliuk, an expert at NGO Ecoclub.
Learn more about the development of renewable energy in communities and how to get involved: https://cutt.ly/twiSz7vZ; https://ecoclubrivne.org/en/solar_hospitals/