Ukrainian market of renewable energy, represented by the solar, wind, small hydropower energy industry and also by the sector of the solid and motor biofuel production, is one of the most attractive markets for investors.

Such conclusions were reached by competent sector experts at the 3^rd International Forum on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, REF-2011 that was held in Kyiv (Intercontinental Hotel), on 17-18^th of October, 2011.

«Potential of natural resources and also a presence of powerful productive base enable to state that in the near future Ukraine may become one of the European centers of the wind energy industry developments and renewable energy industry as a whole. Investors are very interested in Ukraine», - underlined during the Forum, Stefan Gsänger, the Secretary-General of the World Wind Energy Association.

REF-2011 practically has become the first sector event, where the work of the Ukrainian renewable energy industry was summarized, which started to form from September, 2010, after the implementation into exploitation of the first line of solar power stations of the company Activ Solar in Crimea. From that moment, new projects in the wind energy, small hydropower and also power plants based on biomass, have been built. Besides that, new projects on transition from natural gas to alternative types of fuel at the objects of heat generation are being actively implemented.

As of October, 2011, the total capacity of solar power stations in Ukraine amount to 60 Megawatt, capacity of working wind farms - 117.5 Megawatt, small hydropower stations – 104 Megawatt, the heat generation objects which are based on alternative types of fuel (agrarian and wood waste) amount to approximately 64 Megawatt today. Also, there are 2 operating industrial enterprises on motor biofuel production with a total capacity of approximately 30 thousand tons of production per year. In 2012, this showing is expected to undergo a 3 times increase.

«Ukraine has a great potential. If objects of the renewable energy industry produced approximately 240 million kilowatt-hour of energy last year, we expect more than 360 million kilowatt-hour of energy this year, plus we plan to reach the level of 1 billion 17 million kilowatt-hour of energy in 2012», - stated Mykola Pashkevych, the Head of the National Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Preservation of Ukraine, during his speech.

At the same time, the Head of the Agency pointed out, that the soviet legacy in the energy system of Ukraine is a great obstacle, - construction of the structure for large objects of generation: heat and nuclear power plants.

Today, key Ukrainian projects in the renewable energy sphere are mainly being implemented in Crimea.

In particular, at the Forum, the Chairman of the Republican Committee of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea on Fuel, Energy and Innovative Politics, Igor Zosimov presented the results of the work of Crimean government with regard to implementation of the Strategy of Economic and Social Development of the ARC by 2020. One of the key trends of the ARC development is renewable energy.

«Crimea has tremendous potential with regard to almost all renewable energy sources. In terms of days with sunshine, Crimea holds leading positions in Ukraine. Thus, the project on the solar power plants construction is being implemented here. Plus, the peninsula has a huge wind potential too». - underscored Igor Zosimov, during his speech at the Forum.

Also one of the important trends in the alternative energy development and increase in energy efficiency of industrial and agrarian enterprises in Ukraine is the production of heat and electric energy from waste. International Financial Corporation, in particular, is ready to invest in this regard. According to the Head of the IFC in Ukraine, Elena Voloshina, 350 million dollars are considered to be used within the special Clean Technologies Fund.

«For many Ukrainian companies, the energy efficiency increase is the top priority. In connection with this, the IFC sees a great potential in the development of this sphere in Ukraine», - noted the Head of the IFC in Ukraine, during her speech at REF-2011.

According to the words of the Head of Organizing Committee of REF-2011, the president of the Association of the Participants of the Alternative Types of Fuel and Energy Market of Ukraine, Vitaliy Daviy, many companies of the renewable energy sector due to the intense competition in Europe, see Ukraine as very prospective and growing market.

There were approximately 300 participants from 28 countries at the Forum. Working program of REF-2011 consisted of 60 reports of the best industry experts in the sphere of solar and wind energy industry, small hydropower, energy efficiency and also investments and legislation.