The concept of “Green tariff” has long been known, but what is it really? Why is this one of the ways to achieve Ukraine’s energy independence?
Advantages of generating new, alternative energy
Any transmission network is “costly”. In Ukraine, the losses of old, even Soviet substations are up to 35%, and in the absence of generation within the green tariff, the losses are paid by the subscribers of power networks. The creation of alternative energy production points in populated areas will allow unloading high-voltage power lines, at the same time reducing the need for urgent reconstruction of heating mains.
Let’s give a rough example, for any power system: during the day, fluctuations in electricity consumption are up to 300%. In the evening everyone comes home, includes a lot of appliances. During these peak hours, the network experiences overload, and while we at work “to dump excess electricity” there is nowhere. At night, consumption falls almost to zero and the Ukrainian energy sales company dumps surpluses into a single European grid for a penny. This squandering of resources and prevents the introduction of a green tariff in Ukraine, which allows you to balance energy consumption, introducing the concept of accumulation and additional generation in private ownership. But the introduction of such benefits required a legislative framework. Its foundations were developed in Brussels, from 2003 to 2009.
The basis that showed the benefits in the “green” energy, was the experience of GermanyThe law “On Renewable Energy Sources” introduced several new concepts, which later formed the basis for the concept of green tariff in Ukraine, significantly reducing the cost of energy.The law was called EEG, and as a result of its adoption, the EU-2003/30 / EC DIRECTIVES, the 2004 and 2005 amendments were born (EEG 2004, Regulation 2005/33 / EC, EEG 2009).
However, these documents declared only «the participation of a private producer of green energy in stabilizing the operation of energy systems». Within the EU, of course.Brussels adopted the necessary laws, which were supported by 19 countries in Europe. The development of renewable sources has received legislative support, the European Union has allocated investments, zones of intensive solar energy (where the territory of Ukraine fell) and formulated environmental standards for energy.
But Germany went further and offered owners of solar and wind stations not only the reduced cost of electricity. Germany directly (EEG amendment 2009-th year) introduces monetary compensation for the return of electricity to the general network.
In the autumn of 2009, this approach is adopted in Brussels; the strategy of “replenishment of the unified energy system” is formed with compensation to private suppliers. September 2009, and can be considered the birth of a new approach to the balanced energy of any state:
– availability of return generation at the points of consumption;
– сompensation to owners of such generation of the price of kilowatt of consumed electricity;
– payment to them, for the kilowatts supplied to the network.
This is the meaning of the concept of “green tariff”: the cost of the kilowatt taken from the network is lower, and for surplus will also be paid.
The development of alternative energy in Ukraine is backed by legislation – on July 16, 2015, Law No. 514 “On Amending Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding Competitive Conditions for Generating Electricity from Alternative Energy Sources” came into force.
Since that moment the Green tariff in Ukraine has also earned, and the situation in the market of “return energy” has been ordered as follows:
– the power of private generation (up to 30 kW) is limited. Even a large site will not allow us to extract more energy; it will be transferred to the status of “industrial suppliers”;
– the framework for “consumption-transfer of surpluses” has been established. This allows the energy system to “get the right energy” without introducing the owner into the temptation to turn off the lights and count money;
– amendments and additions streamlined the connection procedures, after which the green tariff became a guaranteed return on investment, at the same time reducing the cost of the “bought” from the network of energy;
– introduction of the responsibility of the “private supplier” for the disruption of energy recovery, up to monetary penalties.
Today, Rada is preparing to welcome new amendments. All of them are aimed at developing alternative sources of generation, conservation and sustainable use of electric and thermal energy. So there is a green energy in Ukraine. And you can save a lot, at the same time decently earned.
