Friday 2 September 2016

Ukraine’s ‘energy efficiency, renewables potential huge’

The potential for energy efficiency and renewable energy in Ukraine is “huge”.

That’s the view of Maros Sefcovic, European Commission Vice President for Energy Union.

During a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, he said the Commission is prepared to support the establishment of the Energy Efficiency Fund before the end of the year.

Mr Sefcovic said: “Ukraine's potential in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy is huge: Would Ukraine manage to increase its energy efficiency levels to the EU average level, the savings achieved would be greater than the energy consumption of Spain over a whole year. Ukraine could thus even become an exporter of energy.”

He also reconfirmed the readiness of the Commission to pursue with the successful trilateral format of gas talks of the past.

He added: "We want to re-launch the successful trilateral format of gas talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the European Commission. In the past, this forum has proven its usefulness: it is better for all to sit down together around one table.

"Russia as an exporter, Ukraine as a transit country and the EU as the main importer share a common interest of predictability. The trilateral format remains the most suitable for discussing gas supplies for the upcoming winter heating season."