Law No. 4963-IX: A New Model for Renewables! What to Pay Attention To

The Law, signed on 25 September, implements the RED II Directive in Ukraine and introduces a new model for developing renewable energy:

– Accelerated development zones. The state will designate areas suitable for renewables in advance, and projects within such zones will benefit from shortened timelines and a presumption of public interest. The total period for all permitting procedures within the zones will be up to 12 months (24 months for offshore wind farms), compared to 24 (36) months outside the zones.

– One-stop shop and maximum deadlines. All applications will be submitted electronically via Diia and/or the Unified State Electronic System in Construction (EDESSB), and each authority’s decision period, including grid operators, will not exceed 30 days instead of 45. For solar power plants up to 100 kW, permitting procedures must take no longer than 30 days.

– New connection rules for energy storage. The fee for non-standard connection of energy storage installations will now be calculated based on the greater of two values, charging or discharging capacity, and at a separate rate that rules out double charging. NEURC is required to adopt the relevant acts within 45 days of the Law’s entry into force. Investors who are currently obtaining technical conditions or concluding connection agreements should take this change into account right now.

– Renewable energy communities and peer-to-peer trading. The Law introduces renewable energy communities, renewable self-consumers, and peer-to-peer agreements, opening up new models for condominium associations, communities, and businesses. However, without secondary legislation from NEURC, these institutions risk remaining merely framework provisions.

Read more about the changes and their practical implications in the article by Olga Savchenko, Senior Partner at Altelaw&Sempra, on ExPro:https://expro.com.ua/statti/zakon–4963-ix-scho-zmnyutsya-dlya-vdnovlyuvano-energetiki?fbclid=iwy2xjawusdqzlehrua2flbqixmabwzg9mawjyawqrmvlpyxp6nvoxdxfmzlvquddzcnrjbmfwcf9pzbaymjiwmzkxnzg4mjawodkyaaeeb8s8t8znoobo6bk0k0smttdepqotdqbhfieayoay1rw7kvtgyno6jrr71ja_aem_lw1tmtqkwtxpc7jqbh2bka