31 October 2012: The Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (SGP) has provided financial support to implement three demonstration projects to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Ukraine. The projects, implemented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), promote solar energy use for electricity production and hot water heating, and raise community awareness on energy efficiency and energy saving measures.

One of the projects is a kindergarten in the Teplychne settlement, which serves as a pilot site for promoting solar energy and energy efficiency technologies in public buildings. The kindergarten installed energy efficient windows and a solar water heating system through the project. Elena Panova, UNDP Deputy Country Director, visited the kindergarten with several government officials for a presentation of the project results. She underscored that the GEF SGP has demonstrated how to integrate environmental protection with development priorities.

It is anticipated that these projects will help the housing administration and local authorities improve their capacity to address climate change and ensure energy efficiency. The three projects installed 33 energy-saving windows in addition to energy efficient solar collectors for electricity generation and water heating. These changes are estimated to reduce GHG emissions by 80,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The awareness raising component of the project includes ecological seminars, presentations, trainings and workshops on methods to reduce energy consumption.

The three projects are: “Solar energy use for electricity production,” “Community awareness raising on energy efficiency in public buildings,” and “Renewable solar energy for water heating.” The projects are being carried out in the industrial region of Lugansk. [GEF SGP Press Release] [GEF Press Release]