5 cities and 15 meetings in 4 days: Ukrainian communities adopted the leading experience of the Netherlands in energy transition with the assistance of DiXi Group

Within the framework of the training session tour, 10 Ukrainian communities participating in the DiXi Group’s Municipal Energy Plans (MEP) project visited the Kingdom of the Netherlands, where they met with representatives of the Government and local communities to learn from the experience of one of the most successful EU countries in the energy transition.

The trip was attended by representatives of the Balta (Odesa Region), Voznesensk and Novyi Buh (Mykolaiv Region), Zhovkva (Lviv Region), Krasnokutsk and Zlatopil (Kharkiv Region), Koryukivka, Mena and Nizhyn (Chernihiv Region), and Poltava communities.

“We strive to expand the vision of communities on the implementation of local measures on the way to their energy independence and show them examples of effective policies, so that when they return to Ukraine, communities will adapt their Municipal Energy Plans in accordance with international best practices, the results of which they could see here in the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” explains the purpose of the trip Viktoriia Kovalenko, General Manager of Sustainable Development at DiXi Group.

Thanks to the active cooperation of DiXi Group and the Dutch government and with the assistance of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine, community representatives had the opportunity to meet with their foreign colleagues – representatives of the communities of Amsterdam, The Hague and Harlem – and talk to them about the energy transition using renewable energy sources, discuss possible challenges and get acquainted with recommendations on how to prevent or minimise them as well as take part in meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands (department responsible for energy efficiency policy for buildings), the National Programme of Regional Energy Strategies (RES), the Province of North Holland, and the International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities.

“It is a great honour for us to host the Ukrainian communities. We have gathered not only as colleagues and partners, but also as friends and companions who are united by a deep purpose and common values,” greeted Jeroen Olthof, Regional Minister of the Province of North Holland for Mobility and Accessibility, Quality of Life, Health, Environment, Public Transport, Culture and Sport. The representative of the province said that in the short term, North Holland will focus on the effects of climate change. “First and foremost, our goal is to reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles, industry and households through innovative solutions, close cooperation between the public, the private sector and all other stakeholders involved in this process,” he said.

The visit of the Ukrainian communities aroused the interest of local journalists in North Holland. Our delegation was featured in the local press: https://www.noord-holland.nl/Actueel/Archief/2024/Oktober_2024/Oekra_ense_delegatie_bezoekt_Noord_Holland_voor_kennisuitwisseling_over_energiestrategie

“Since each community in Ukraine, as well as each region in the Netherlands, is unique and has its own geographical features, communication between communities and exchange of experience is an important for communities to communicate with each other and share their experiences. We are pleased to have the opportunity to share our experience and talk about the implemented cases and plans we are moving towards in the context of energy efficiency,” expressed words of support Odile Rasch, Programme Manager of Regional Energy Strategies in Northern Holland.

“Representatives of state institutions and communities are sharing their invaluable experience in writing and implementing MEPs to implement energy efficiency and climate protection measures. As a person responsible for energy efficiency in our community, I am very interested in the experience of our Dutch colleagues, to hear the challenges and lessons learned from the implementation of energy saving measures over the past 10 years, so that I can avoid them in our community,” says Roman Ryabets, Head of the International Relations and Investment Sector of the Koryukivka City Council.

“Writing Municipal Energy Plans is an important step for every community. Upon completion of the project, it will become a really good tool for them to attract partners and investments to implement them,” emphasised Bram Romeijn, Second Secretary for Energy and Climate at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine.

The practical experience and knowledge gained during the official meetings will certainly help the communities to improve their Municipal Energy Plans upon returning home to implement a sustainable energy system and, in the long run, bring Ukraine closer to a green transition in compliance with the EU standards.

“It is valuable that representatives of Ministries and other organisations implementing the Dutch energy policy are willing to engage with us and answer our questions. They give us specific mechanisms for solving certain problems. Soon we are planning to install solar panels at one of Zhovkva’s utility companies, and we are now adopting this experience, and I have seen and heard first-hand how to implement it in practice. After this trip, I want to work even harder in the field of energy efficiency to become even more energy-independent and less energy-intensive community,” shares his impressions Oleh Volskyy, Mayor of Zhovkva.

Communities also had the opportunity to visit The Green Village, a location for testing and implementing energy-efficient solutions in buildings at Delft University of Technology, where experts focus on innovations in sustainable development.

The participants of the training session also had a chance to see the newly constructed motorway tunnel near Rotterdam on the A16 motorway. It is interesting that the main construction has been completed, but the tunnel will be put into operation only in a year, when it will be tested and, if necessary, all possible shortcomings will be eliminated. It was also impressive to see that there are 56 safety checkpoints along the 2.2 km long road, which were taken into account in accordance with the safety rules for the operation of this tunnel. During the construction of the facility, technologies to reduce CO2 emissions were used.

“This trip is very useful for the representatives of the communities of our project. Our foreign partners have provided many real-life examples in the context of increasing the share of renewable energy sources and efficient energy consumption in communities, recommendations for accelerating energy independence and energy transition, which is very important in today’s environment,” said Viktoriia Kovalenko, General Manager of Sustainable Development at DiXi Group..

It should be noted that the project to support the development of Municipal Energy Plans (MEPs) for 10 Ukrainian communities, implemented by the DiXi Group with the support of the Dutch government (MATRA programme), is nearing completion. During the year of participation in the project, the communities received expert support in identifying goals and ways to implement the MEPs, based on the specifics of the region, the legal framework, international obligations, requirements of European energy legislation, and their own financial capabilities. It is worth reminding that the development of relevant plans by November 2025 is a mandatory requirement for local governments in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Energy Efficiency”.