Strategic Reconstruction: Report Highlights Opportunities for Hydrogen in Ukraine’s New Economy
- REDAÇÃO H2RADAR
- Apr 15
- 2 min read
The large-scale war unleashed by Russia has devastated Ukraine's energy sector. The country, which before the invasion operated with a large surplus of electricity, faces a scenario of structural deficit in supply in 2024. Systematic attacks on critical infrastructure have shifted the focus of national energy policy to security, resilience and strategic independence. In this context, hydrogen — whose demand for conventional uses in refining and ammonia production has fallen by 80%, due to the destruction of the industrial hubs in the south of the country — is reemerging as a vector for reconstruction and modernization.
The most recent report on Hydrogen Opportunities in Ukraine argues that the reconstruction of the energy system must go beyond asset replacement. This is a unique opportunity to "build back better", that is, to invest in a cleaner, decentralized and resilient matrix. In this effort, low-emission hydrogen appears as a key technology, not only for its decarbonization capacity, but for opening the way for the emergence of a new export-oriented industrial base, which can rebalance the Ukrainian fiscal balance in the medium and long term.
Strategic roadmap: four pillars and three horizons for the hydrogen transition
The study outlines an action plan structured around four essential pillars to enable the hydrogen-based energy transition: physical infrastructure, regulatory framework, financing and cross-cutting areas. These elements are articulated across three time horizons — from 2 to 20 years — that aim to ensure not only immediate reconstruction, but also the progressive formation of skills, supply chains and integrated markets.
The first pillar, focused on physical assets, proposes the modernization of industrial facilities, the creation of hydrogen hubs and connection to European infrastructure. In the regulatory field, the focus is on harmonizing regulations with EU standards, accelerating licensing and creating mechanisms to guarantee the origin of renewable hydrogen. In the financial area, the report highlights the need for hybrid financing models, with multilateral participation, public guarantees and the attraction of private capital. Finally, cross-cutting areas such as technical education, applied research and energy diplomacy are seen as the foundations for sustaining a robust hydrogen industry.
The document acknowledges that this transition will not be immediate, but argues that the first steps must be taken now, even under the shadow of war, so that Ukraine is prepared to lead a new chapter in the European green economy in the future. In times of reconstruction, hydrogen emerges not only as an energy vector, but as a symbol of a resilient, integrated and environmentally strategic Ukraine.
