Technical solutions for improving the sustainability of energy systems as a component of the state’s economic sustainability

Abstract

The destruction of Ukraine’s energy systems as a result of the fighting caused significant economic losses, which made it necessary to assess their impact on industry, the business environment and macroeconomic stability. The purpose of the study was to determine the main economic consequences of destabilisation of energy infrastructure and evaluate the effectiveness of technical measures for its restoration. It was found that power outages caused a 40% decrease in production capacity in metallurgy, 35% in the chemical industry, and 28% in mechanical engineering, which led to a reduction in exports, job losses, and a slowdown in economic growth. The increase in the cost of energy resources and logistics costs led to an increase in the cost of production by 10-15%, which negatively affected the competitiveness of enterprises. In 2022, the price of electricity reached 1,800 UAH/MWh, and in 2024 it increased to 3,100 UAH/MWh, which created an additional financial burden on the manufacturing sector and households. Analysis of investment flows showed a reduction in foreign capital investment to USD 2 billion in 2022 and a partial recovery to USD 5.2 billion in 2024 due to international financial support. The economic benefits of implementing measures to modernise the energy system, in particular, the introduction of autonomous energy sources, the creation of microgrids and storage systems, which will reduce electricity losses by 15-20% and increase the stability of energy supply, were studied. The use of cost-benefit analysis confirmed the cost-effectiveness of such measures, since the cost-benefit ratio exceeded 1.6. Mechanisms for financing reconstruction, including state and international programmes, were proposed, which can cover up to 70% of the costs, which will help to stabilise the energy sector and restore economic activity.