On 2 December 2025, the second annual open dialogue “City of the Future: Implementing Sustainable Energy Solutions,” organized by the RePower Ukraine Foundation, took place in Kyiv. The event brought together representatives of Ukrainian municipalities, government institutions, businesses, international organizations, energy experts, and journalists from leading media outlets.

The goal of the event was to develop a shared vision for the just recovery of Ukraine, the role of human capital in transforming the energy sector, and the implementation of sustainable solutions to strengthen the energy resilience of communities.

“Ukraine’s energy system continues to be a target of our enemy — Russia. For nearly four years now, we have acutely felt the need to diversify and shift to renewable sources of electricity. Speaking of Kharkiv and the region, our partner RePower Ukraine Foundation helps us move in this direction by installing solar power plants for four hospitals and one water utility. We are grateful for the support provided to the residents of Kharkiv region and look forward to continued fruitful cooperation” — said Olena Lohvynova, Deputy Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, in her opening remarks.

During the first panel discussion — “Energy of Recovery: Human Potential as the Key to Resilience” — participants discussed the role of vocational education, workforce adaptation to the new energy reality, and the importance of long-term investments in developing specialists in renewable energy.

“For communities to have their own renewable energy specialists, vocational institutions must become hubs for training such professionals. The state provides up to 70% of the funding needed to create practical training centres, but without partnership between local authorities and employers, developing ‘green’ qualifications is simply impossible” — Valentyn Protopopov, Head of Department at the State University “Kyiv Aviation Institute”; vocational education expert in renewable energy.

In the second part of the event, the results of the study “Labour Market and Educational Opportunities in the Renewable Energy Sector in Ukraine” were presented. The study, conducted by the RePower Ukraine team, outlines current labour market needs, barriers to industry growth, and opportunities for veterans, internally displaced people, and youth.

“Investment and grant programmes drive the development of the RES market and increase demand for specialists. At the same time, 44% of vacancies in the energy sector remain unfilled. Barriers for newcomers include uneven development of educational opportunities, limited adult retraining options, and low public awareness. Flexible retraining programmes for adults — designed to meet the needs of both learners and employers — are an effective and proven solution. RePower Ukraine’s retraining programme has demonstrated strong interest from both learners and employers.” — Iryna Zahorodnia, Head of Project Department at RePower Ukraine.

The third panel discussion focused on practical case studies in strengthening community energy resilience. Representatives of local governments and foundation partners shared experiences in implementing solar power plants, modernizing critical infrastructure, and optimizing energy consumption.

“Ensuring decentralized energy in Ukraine is critically important — it is not only a step toward sustainable development and energy independence, but also a matter of security. Solar power plants give communities the ability to manage their own energy, keep hospitals, schools, and water systems running even during outages and attacks.” — Wieteeke Danilse, Program Director at Mercy Corps Ukraine.

Three Years of RePower Ukraine: Achievements and Priorities

This year, RePower Ukraine marks three years of active work aimed at strengthening the energy resilience of communities, developing educational programmes, and implementing innovative renewable energy solutions.

Over this period, the foundation has implemented dozens of projects, including:

  • 1,000+ units of energy equipment provided to hospitals and schools

  • 12 partnership memorandums signed with communities to support Ukraine’s sustainable recovery

  • 10 solar power plants with energy storage installed, ensuring emergency electricity supply for hospitals

  • 2 solar power plants with storage installed to guarantee uninterrupted water supply for communities

  • 7 analytical tools and studies developed to support the green transition of municipalities

  • 10 training courses in renewable energy carried out for veterans, internally displaced people, their families, youth, and children

  • 4 public information campaigns launched to increase awareness about renewable energy and its impact on community energy security

RePower Ukraine will continue working to scale energy solutions, expand educational opportunities, and strengthen cooperation with communities across the country.

“Today, the main challenge for Ukraine is not only to rebuild infrastructure, but to ensure the energy resilience of our communities. We believe that the path forward lies in decentralized energy and in training new specialists who can build a modern energy system for the country. Over the past three years, RePower Ukraine has shown that when technology, expertise, and partnership come together, communities grow stronger and people’s lives become safer.” — Svitlana Vovchenko, Director of RePower Ukraine.

The event was organized with the support of the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House.