The municipality of Dubove is committed to increasing energy independence. With the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, they are implementing a project that involves the introduction of a local renewable energy network. Ecosphere NGO received over UAH 1.5 million in grant funding for this project.
The municipality with a population of more than 20,000 is located in a mountainous area. Energy management has not been established, which complicates budget planning for payment of energy carriers and thermal modernisation of buildings.
“We previously worked with the Dubove municipality as part of another project, also energy-related. Even then, we saw their interest in the development of energy efficiency. Therefore, the idea arose to develop a pilot project with them,” said Kateryna Stankevych-Koval, Head of Ecosphere.
According to her, the project will introduce an energy management system, and the position of energy manager has already been introduced in the village council. Employees of municipal institutions will undergo special training. It is also planned to develop a local programme for improving the energy security of the Dubove municipality with the participation of a specially created working group. The document will present a plan for improving the municipality’s energy efficiency until 2030.
“The programme also provides for the transfer of funds saved on energy carriers from the general fund of the local budget to a special energy independence fund,” said Ms Stankevych-Koval.
There are 26 public sector facilities on the balance sheet of the municipality. All buildings require energy efficiency measures. The municipality has long been working to ensure that local utility facilities have renewable sources of electricity. One of these sources will be a 10 kW hybrid solar power plant (SPP) installed on the roof of the village council.
According to Denys Kaganets, head of the Dubove municipality, the produced electricity will be consumed by the village council itself, but first, the roof of the building will be repaired with funds from the local budget. Installation of the SPP will already take place as part of the project and will be financed with its budget funds.
“Thanks to the project, we will be able to provide electricity to the administrative building, which also doubles as the Point of Invincibility, and the surrounding areas. I would like to thank everyone who is involved in the implementation of this project, it is really important for us,” said Mr Kaganets.
Surplus electricity generated on weekends or warm months is to be directed to the lighting of the children’s playground in the park near the village council.
“Municipalities of the Zakarpattia oblast are proactive in increasing their energy independence. And it is very important that, with the support of U-LEAD, we are implementing the first pilot project in the oblast related to the use of a solar power plant and policy development, with a basic assessment of available resources and planning of further activities in this direction. I firmly believe that our experience will be of use to other municipalities,” said Mykola Siusko, Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD in Zakarpattia oblast.