Renewable energy development started in Ukraine in the 80th of the last century at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The idea of mastering renewables was initiated by the Institute’s chancellor Mr. G.I. Denysyuk, the corresponding member for National Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. Under his direct guidance the research department for complex power systems based on renewables was established. It should be noted that complex approach to utilizing renewables by means of thermal and electrical power batteries at that times was applied for the first time ever in the former USSR. The department activity and research experience generated significant research foundation. What is important that all research developments got tested on a testing are “Desna” which was built near Krekhajevo village, right on the border line between Kyivska and Chernihivska oblasts. In 1987 the department moved to the Institute of Electrodynamics, NAS of Ukraine, and kept on research work on renewable power development in Ukraine.
At that time Ukrainian scientific efforts in the field of renewable energy development were focused almost entirely within the framework of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Thus the below given institutes carried out research studies on technology and equipment developments for solar, wind and biomass energy utilization as well as the energy of geothermal waters and small rivers. These institutes are: the Institute of Electrodynamics, the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, the Institute of Engineering Problems, the Institute of General Power and the Institute of Coal Energy Technologies.
Considering financing problems and existing conditions at those times the research and development effectiveness was so poor that science couldn’t meet any international standards or requirements. And even having succeeded a little the results couldn’t step with the times and were outdated. So, in December 2003 the Institute of Renewable Energy (IVE) at NAS of Ukraine was established within the framework of the Department for Physical and Technical Problems of Energy Sciences of Ukraine. The Institute got the main aim – further developing and coordinating research in the field of renewables and ensuring the results implementation. The Institute of Renewable Energy actually combined various renewable energy development areas in a unified meaningful complex.
The main direction of fundamental and applied research carried out by the Institute of Renewable Energy is setting up integrated power systems based on renewable energy sources utilization such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and bioenergy sources. The Institute’s key tasks are:
- performing fundamental and applied research aimed at producing new scientific knowledge in the field of physical and technical challenges of renewable power for further outlining promising areas to master non-traditional and renewable energy sources;
- converting and stabilizing power parameters;
- increasing power conversion processes efficiency and reliability;
- providing automation and optimization of energy systems running on renewables.
The main direction of fundamental and applied research carried out by the Institute of Renewable Energy is setting up integrated power systems based on renewable energy sources utilization such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and bioenergy sources. The Institute’s key tasks are:
- performing fundamental and applied research aimed at producing new scientific knowledge in the field of physical and technical challenges of renewable power for further outlining promising areas to master non-traditional and renewable energy sources;
- converting and stabilizing power parameters;
- increasing power conversion processes efficiency and reliability;
- providing automation and optimization of energy systems running on renewables.
The Institute’s research area covers almost all major areas of renewable energy development, including integrated approach.