Innovative energy policy to transform energy systems in Ukraine

Abstract

To enhance its national energy security, the government of Ukraine has adopted many energy polices since 1989. Unfortunately, most of these policies have proved to be unsuccessful. The country’s energy supply is still highly dependent on fossil fuel imports. This paper provides a comprehensive review on Ukraine’s challenges from economic, social, political, and environmental aspects that are related to energy and carbon emission policies. An empirical methodology is used to analyze the energy situation and project energy demand by 2050. A new roadmap of energy investments is made from 2035–2050 with an objective of decarbonizing the Ukrainian energy system by 2050. Such roadmap is in line with the global commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% over the next decade and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. This article recommends 12 polices for the government ranging from stopping subsidy to fossil energy to accounting environment costs in fossil energy consumption, levying taxes on polluters, privatizing government–owned companies to adapt the Euopean Union (EU) energy systems, and terminating gas import from Russia. If these proposed energy policies are successfully implemented, the Ukrainian fossil fuel-based energy system will be transformed to a highly efficient energy system with zero-carbon emissions by 2050.