Yurii Podoliak: Investors Need Support

IKNET has been a member of the Energy Club since 2019. The successful activity of the company – an expert in managing investment projects in the energy sector – is driven by a comprehensive approach to solving energy challenges and continuous monitoring of current market trends. For instance, at the beginning of 2025, the OKKO group commissioned the first industrial energy storage facility in Ukraine. IKNET was involved in the process from the initial idea to the full implementation of the project.

Furthermore, IKNET supports talented students. As part of its cooperation with the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (NTUU KPI), the company recently held its fourth scholarship competition. The winners were students from various departments of the Faculty of Electric Power Engineering and Automatics. The competition is held twice a year, and each time, five winners receive scholarships from IKNET for 6 months.

In an interview with the Energy Club, Yuriy Podoliak, the head of IKNET, shared his thoughts on the effectiveness of the energy community’s work, lectures on the “Distributed Generation” course, and cooperation with investors.

– Mr. Podoliak, how relevant and effective is the activity of the Energy Club?

Yurii Podoliak

– From the very beginning, I supported the idea of creating an association of like-minded energy professionals for communication, information exchange, and promoting the community’s interests. I really like what the Energy Club does – the events are always relevant, timely, and effective. The Club works and develops in all directions – collaborating with energy structures, local communities, and authorities. If we analyze the changes happening in the energy sector, on a five-point scale, I give it a four. I can’t give it a five yet because there isn’t a simplified procedure for financing investment projects by banks and funds. State structures, such as the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), Ukrenergo, NEURC, etc., are creating initiatives for the development of new generation. For example, holding special auctions for frequency support and restoration, a competition to support highly flexible generation, or the possibility for consumers to obtain the status of an active consumer. The energy sector is developing quite well. Not everything is perfect, but we are moving in the right direction. And the Energy Club plays a significant role in this by facilitating dialogue between the authorities and business.

– On the Energy Club’s “Distributed Generation” training course, you will be giving a lecture on finding and working with investors. This topic is relevant, especially since grant projects from USAID are no longer funded. So, where should Ukrainians look for investors – within the country or abroad?

– There are investors both in Ukraine and abroad. But favorable conditions need to be created for them. I communicate with many investors – both experienced and newcomers in this field. They are ready to invest funds in energy projects – solar power plants, energy storage facilities, gas piston units, etc. Due to the rather high electricity prices that have formed in the market, investors are interested in entering this segment. However, communities need to understand how to work with them because an investor will not come if the conditions are not created. The state has done what it could at the level of legislation and bylaws. But then the work begins “in the field” – in specific communities: allocating land plots, providing Urban Development Conditions and Restrictions (MBUO), and other permits. And where communities work responsibly and professionally, where there is no corruption, investment projects are successfully implemented.

– Working with investors is one of the directions of the company you head, so you have much to share with the students of the training courses, among whom are representatives of local communities, businesses, and investors.

– Yes, we have accumulated significant experience in implementing projects in the energy sector. For over 14 years, we have been working with investors and often act as the “client’s service”: we search for land plots, prepare them for investment, develop business models, presentations, etc. That is, we have the experience and understanding of what an investor needs, what conditions must be met to attract their interest. Therefore, in April of this year, on the “Distributed Generation” course, I will talk about what is happening in the investment climate of Ukraine’s energy sector and what steps need to be taken to attract investors.