Davos Pulse 2026: From Emotions to Pragmatism – €220M Investment in Wind Energy and New Global Security Trends

22.01.2026

Energy Club hosted a special online broadcast, “Davos Pulse,” to capture a “snapshot of the day” directly from the grounds of the World Economic Forum. While Ukraine navigates challenging times with electricity and heating outages, Davos this year has evolved from a platform for visionary talk into a hub for practical work and the signing of concrete agreements.

The discussion’s moderator, Artem Martyniuk, Vice President of Energy Club, opened the session by noting that the defining characteristic of the 2026 forum is the shift from “deep concern” to decisive action. The most compelling evidence of this was the news of secured investments for new power generation construction in the midst of the ongoing war.

Landmark Deal: Wind Power in the Odesa Region

A major highlight of the forum was the announcement regarding the construction of a new wind power plant (WPP) in the Odesa region. Oleksandr Podprugin, Regional Director of Notus Energy, shared the specifics of the deal:

• The project involves a wind farm with an installed capacity of 120 MW.
• The total investment volume exceeds €220 million.
• The agreement was signed with Horizon Capital (taking a 45% equity stake) alongside international institutions (EBRD, IFC, Swedfund, and others).
• This is not merely a memorandum of intent, but a notarized equity investment agreement.

“This is a landmark event that we have been working toward for a long time. The project was developed to the highest international standards, which allowed us to attract top-tier investors despite the prevailing war risks,” emphasized Oleksandr Podprugin.

He also noted that while the environment for new projects is improving (thanks to changes in auction mechanics and the EBRD’s minimum price guarantee fund), the availability of affordable war risk insurance remains a significant market challenge.

Geopolitics Over Tech: “Change or Die”

Vira Savchenko, CEO of BDO in Ukraine, highlighted a shift in the forum’s rhetoric. While Artificial Intelligence dominated previous years, the 2026 focus has pivoted toward geopolitical threats and energy independence.

• The Ukrainian delegation aligned perfectly with current trends under the slogan “Change or Die.”
• The “war factor” is no longer an automatic stop signal for investors. Insurance mechanisms from the DFC and EBRD are functional, and Ukraine is being viewed as a tangible investment opportunity (specifically regarding the discussed “Mineral Deal”).

“The world understands the risks and is moving toward autonomous strategies. Energy security has now eclipsed even the topic of technology,” stated Vira Savchenko.

The New Architecture of Energy

Nataliya Katser-Buchkovska, Founder of the Ukrainian Sustainable Fund, stressed that energy recovery cannot be achieved through “old methods.”

Key takeaways from the expert:

• Security Integration: Every generation facility is now a potential target; therefore, physical and cyber defense must be part of energy projects.
• Decentralization: A clear trend toward placing generation capacity directly adjacent to consumers to mitigate transmission risks.
• Innovative Financing: To attract capital into a high-risk market, it is essential to utilize specialized recovery funds and carbon market instruments (trading CO2 quotas could add 10-15% to project profitability).

“We cannot afford to wait for the war to end before we begin restoring our infrastructure. The situation is critical, and we must build a new system right now using innovative approaches,” concluded Nataliya Katser-Buchkovska.