UK And Ukraine Launch Innovation Partnership To Power Ukraine's Recovery

4th May 2024

The UK and Ukraine have launched the InnovateUkraine programme, which will support 13 green energy innovation projects in Ukraine with a £16m investment from the UK government.

The UK government has invested £16m in innovations which will support the recovery and future sustainability of Ukraine's energy system. The programme aims to rebuild Ukraine’s energy system, displace fossil fuels, and support post-war recovery.

The programme is delivered by a UK-based innovation agency and will leverage an additional £5m in private sector co-investment and involves collaborations between over 50 UK and Ukrainian organizations.

Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Halushchenko said:
Today we have a chance to demonstrate that the struggle for energy independence is a fight for the future. The green transition goes way beyond ecology or distributed generation. For Ukraine, this is a matter of national security. I am sure that the implementation of the project in the field of green technologies is of great importance for the future cooperation between Ukraine and the UK in the energy sector.

The British Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris said:
I am proud that the UK continues to support the recovery of the Ukrainian energy sector, particularly after recent brutal attacks from Russia. We want to see it greener and more resilient.

Our support for these 13 innovations - which bring together the best of British and Ukrainian business, universities, and civil society – will help Ukraine recover in a more sustainable way. These projects showcase the depth and breadth of partnership between our countries.

Some notable projects include developing a new space heating technology for heat pumps, an innovative battery storage solution for renewables, a more targeted approach to harnessing geothermal energy in Ukraine, and work to optimise Ukraine’s bioenergy resources.

The funded projects will execute their work plans over the next two years and receive support from an accelerator programme for further investment and market entry.

Originally announced at the UK-hosted Ukraine Recovery Conference in June 2023, this partnership has been designed by the UK and Ukrainian Governments over the course of the last 12 months.

By combining the rich science, technology and innovation heritage of both the UK and Ukraine, this competition aims to address not only Ukraine’s immediate priorities, but also wider global challenges.