The State Agency on Energy Efficiency (SAEE) held a working meeting with representatives of the Danish Energy Agency to discuss support for communities in developing Municipal Energy Plans (MEPs) within the framework of the Ukrainian-Danish Energy Partnership Program (UDEPP).
During the meeting, the parties reviewed the current state of energy efficiency activities for 2026, including the concept of supporting communities in MEP development and the strategic vision for the new phase of the UDEPP program for 2027–2031.
The Danish side presented a proposal for supporting communities in MEP development, consisting of four main tasks:
Creation of a “Guide” — practical recommendations based on the MEP development methodology with a step-by-step action algorithm for communities, presented in simple language.
Formation of a knowledge base — leveraging experiences from projects that have already helped communities create MEPs, ensuring municipalities have access to templates and best practices through the SAEE website.
Creation of an experience-sharing platform — implementing a pilot project based at the Mykolaiv Regional Office for Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency.
Collection of feedback from municipalities and consultants on challenges during the planning process, for further improvement of the MEP development methodology.
The Danish Energy Agency was also informed about the completion status of tools for improving the energy efficiency of public buildings. This year, the focus will shift to disseminating this knowledge, creating video tutorials, and conducting awareness-raising activities for building owners. Additionally, a national information campaign continues to promote simple energy-saving tips for households.
SAEE representatives emphasized that the main challenges remain the communities’ lack of understanding of the real benefits of MEPs and the shortage of specialists to develop them. Therefore, it was proposed to include a separate section in the project highlighting the advantages of implementing MEPs, particularly regarding attracting investments, enhancing community energy security and autonomy, reducing energy costs, and meeting requirements to receive donor support.
During the meeting, the Danish Energy Agency also presented initial ideas for the next four-year cycle of the program, starting in 2027. Its primary goal is not only the implementation of individual projects but also the establishment of a strategic and flexible cooperation format tailored to Ukraine’s needs.
We thank our constant and reliable partners — the people and government of Denmark — for their trust and consistent support of Ukraine.
