Ukraine and Hydrogen: Experts Showcasing Green Energy Solutions

• April 24, 2025

A significant step forward in Ukraine’s green energy future was highlighted today at the “Advancing Hydrogen and Energy Technologies in Ukraine” webinar, where experts revealed promising hydrogen projects and innovations. The event showcased how hydrogen technology could help rebuild Ukraine’s energy infrastructure while advancing climate goals and creating new economic opportunities.

Hydrogen plays an important part in Ukraine’s Energy Future

The 60-minute virtual event, organised by the Scientific Park of Lviv Polytechnic National University brought together more than fifty participants from across Ukraine and Europe this afternoon. Representing a diverse mix of academic institutions, industry leaders, government agencies, and international investors, attendees gathered to discuss the real-world applications of hydrogen technology in Ukraine.

Oleg Sokil, who moderated the session, opened with an encouraging message: “Hydrogen energy is no longer a distant vision, it’s becoming a reality for Ukraine.” The webinar highlighted how hydrogen solutions are moving from theoretical concepts to practical implementations that could transform Ukraine’s energy landscape.

Green Hydrogen Success in the Canary Islands

Professor Nazar Podolchak presented the H2Heat pilot project in Gran Canaria, which serves as a model for potential implementation in Ukraine. This initiative, launched in September 2023, represents the European Commission’s first funded demonstration of 100% green hydrogen for district heating.

The project harnesses offshore wind to power a low-cost electrolyser with ceramic electrodes from Stargate Hydrogen. The resulting hydrogen feeds into a combined heat and power system with heat pumps at a maternity hospital, which is on track to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by more than half. Beyond its local impact, the project contributes to Europe’s knowledge base while supporting EU goals for climate protection and energy independence.

Ukraine’s Developing Hydrogen Ecosystem

Ukrainian Hydrogen Council: Building Foundations

Yaroslav Kryl, from the Ukrainian Hydrogen Council, outlined how the organisation has been laying groundwork for hydrogen adoption since 2018. The Council distinguished itself by becoming the first non-EU member of Hydrogen Europe, which has “aligned Ukraine with European standards and opened doors to technical collaboration”.

A significant milestone came in early 2021 when the Council imported and certified Ukraine’s first fuel-cell cars, placing them at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Riepkin described this as the “chicken-and-egg moment” in hydrogen adoption: “Do we build stations first or bring vehicles? We chose to demonstrate vehicles, then develop a refuelling station network”.

The Council has published a comprehensive Hydrogen Strategy document that designates Ukraine as a strategic European partner for green hydrogen production. The strategy aims to leverage existing wind, solar, and nuclear capacity while developing applications in electricity grid stabilisation, industrial decarbonisation, and transportation.

Supporting Coal Communities Through Transition

Andriy Tabinskyy, Executive Director of the Association of Coal Communities of Ukraine (ACCU), highlighted the urgent challenges facing Ukraine’s coal-dependent towns. The association represents 24 communities across eight regions, many of which derive over 50% of their municipal revenue from coal mines or coal-fired thermal power plants.

“When missiles struck last winter, over 80% of our coal and heating infrastructure was damaged,” Tabinskyy explained, underscoring these communities’ vulnerability.

ACCU has made significant progress in workforce development, repurposing a coal-miner training school into a renewables academy that now teaches skills in solar-PV installation, heat-pump maintenance, and energy auditing. The association has also helped local small and medium enterprises secure over €14 million in grants for sustainable energy ventures.

Tabinskyy pointed out a unique opportunity: existing district heating networks, previously supplied by thermal power plants, could be retrofitted to use hydrogen blends or pure hydrogen. “In towns like Brotter, 100% of heating came from a single TPP; now, those same pipes could distribute green hydrogen,” he noted.

Innovative Hydrogen Technologies

Engine Cleaning and Power Generation

Nazarii Klymko, CEO of Hydroxy Ukraine, presented two systems that use hydrogen technology to reduce carbon deposits in internal combustion engines. Their on-board decoking unit fits into a vehicle’s air-intake manifold and injects a controlled hydrogen/oxygen mixture that raises cylinder temperatures to eliminate carbon deposits. This one-hour treatment restores factory compression, reduces fuel usage by up to 10%, and cuts emissions.

The company has established a network of more than 20 partner workshops throughout Ukraine, along with a mobile service unit for on-site cleaning of generators and heavy machinery. Klymko also unveiled an impressive prototype: a Toyota fuel-cell vehicle converted into a mobile power and heat generator capable of producing 100 kW of electricity and 8 kW of thermal output.

Hydrogen Storage

Nazar Pavlyuk, CEO of Lviv Hydrogen, addressed what he called “the Achilles’ heel” of hydrogen adoption: storage and transport. His company has developed a metal-hydride storage solution that works like “a specialised metal sponge” absorbing hydrogen at moderate pressures and releasing it on demand.

This innovative approach offers impressive advantages over conventional compressed-gas tanks: it can store 4.5 kg of hydrogen in a 50-litre vessel (compared to 2.1 kg in traditional tanks), eliminates the need for costly compression, reduces operational costs by three times, and significantly improves safety.

Lviv Hydrogen plans to unveil a full-scale demonstrator in July 2025 and is seeking €250,000 in seed funding to complete the demonstrator, launch pilot deployments, and scale manufacturing for energy storage and heating applications.

The Path Forward for Hydrogen in Ukraine

Ukraine’s combination of renewable energy resources, nuclear capacity, and a dynamic network of startups and academic institutions positions it to make a significant leap into a hydrogen-based economy. However, several key steps are needed to move from pilot projects to widespread adoption.

Experts identified five critical areas for development: rapidly constructing hydrogen refuelling stations, converting district heating networks to accommodate hydrogen, mobilising private-sector investment alongside EU grants, harmonising policy frameworks, and fostering public-private partnerships.

A Blueprint for Europe’s Energy Transition

Today’s webinar demonstrated that Ukraine is not merely adopting hydrogen technology but potentially leading innovation in several areas. By combining strategic policy, community transformation, and breakthrough technologies in engine efficiency and storage, Ukraine could create a blueprint for Europe’s broader energy transition.

As the country rebuilds its energy infrastructure, hydrogen offers a pathway to enhanced energy security, economic diversification for coal-dependent regions, and significant environmental benefits. While challenges remain, the progress showcased today suggests that hydrogen’s promise could soon translate into tangible environmental and economic gains for Ukraine and lessons for the wider European community.