Structural changes in Ukraine’s electricity generation and their impact on the reduction of CO2 emissions

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to assess the state of and structural changes in Ukraine’s electricity generation and their impact on the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. For the investigation, data from the International Energy Agency and the National Power Company Ukrenergo were used. The study analyzes the trends in Ukraine CO2 emissions by economic sector, the trends in the country’s electricity generation and electricity generation capacities, the structure of electricity generation capacities by type of flexibility and presents the calculations of the integral coefficients of structural changes in the electricity generation capacities and electricity generation by type of flexibility. The study also examines how the structure of the energy sector of Ukraine has changed in terms of electricity generation. For this purpose, the structure of the Ukrainian electricity generation capacities and electricity generation by generation type is considered and the integral coefficients of structural changes in the electricity capacities and electricity production by generation type are calculated. Based on the study results, it is determined that, over the considered period, the decrease in Ukraine’s electricity generation was more significant than the decrease in its generation capacities, which has led to a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions in the country; the structural changes in the electric power industry of Ukraine were not adequate to the structural changes in the country’s economy, which has led to a shortage in flexible capacities but also resulted in the reduction of CO2 emissions due to a decline in electricity generation.