By Nina Tsintsadze
From capturing harmful CO2 directly from the air to creating a factory on wheels for pipe manufacturing, Ukrainian companies are pioneering green, innovative ideas and leading environmental change, despite the harsh conditions brought about by Russia's war on the country.
Since 2017, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), together with the European Union (EU), has supported Ukrainian businesses in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance energy efficiency and mitigate climate change.
Here are the stories of two such companies we have supported through our Climate Innovation Vouchers programme. Each tells its own story of green innovation.
When efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand
Ukrainian company Pipes.one is revolutionising the traditionally conservative polymer pipe production market.
With more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry, the group's management team knew well how time-consuming, expensive and environmentally unfriendly pipe production could be. They chose to make a difference. Rather than transporting ready-made pipes over long distances, they decided to manufacture them directly on the construction site. This is how the world's first polymer pipe factory on wheels came about.
Mobile units that travel to the construction site can produce pipes of the required diameter and length on site. This eliminates the need for a large production space, reduces logistics and storage costs, speeds up manufacturing and lowers trucking CO2 emissions. It has also enabled the company to use greener raw materials.
"We have made important innovations in our mobile production," says Serhiy Sereda, co-founder of Pipes.one. "For example, we have reduced raw material usage by 34 per cent and can now produce pipes with a specific amount of recycled material, making the process more sustainable."
With funding from the Climate Innovation Vouchers programme, Pipes.one has completed all of the necessary technical documentation, obtained certificates for its technology in Ukraine and the EU, and run the required tests.
Pipes.one is actively growing, despite the challenges created by the war on Ukraine, attracting more finance to further develop its product. In addition, the company is considering playing a role in the reconstruction of Ukraine and the revival of the country's agriculture by contributing to rebuilding sewerage, drainage and irrigation systems.
Creating value from CO2
Carbominer, a Ukrainian company founded by father-daughter duo Nick and Victoria Oseyko, is driven by a noble mission: to help mitigate the effects of climate change while at the same time supporting sustainable farming.
Farmers frequently pump CO2 into their greenhouses to boost crop yields and accelerate growth. They typically buy compressed CO2 in cylinders, but supply is not always reliable.
Carbominer is offering an unusual and innovative alternative: a machine placed next to a greenhouse that captures CO2 from the atmosphere and feeds it into the greenhouse to speed up the growth of tasty tomatoes, cucumbers and more.
"Thanks to our technology, farmers can get concentrated CO2 using climate-friendly technology," says Nick Oseyko.
Carbominer uses carbon capture and storage technology and, with a grant from Climate Innovation Vouchers, has patented its invention in Ukraine. It has also applied for a patent in the United States of America and developed a mobile application.
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the company decided to operate between two countries, Ukraine and Poland, and despite the war, has already conducted two pilot tests of its prototypes. Carbominer has attracted additional investment and is looking to increase the capacity of its machines beyond small and medium-sized farms to large, industrial ones.
Green champions
One of the largest grant initiatives for Ukrainian innovators in green and climate-friendly technologies, the Climate Innovation Vouchers scheme is part of the EBRD's Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change (FINTECC) programme, supported by the EU under the EU4Climate initiative. Ukrainian non-governmental organisation Greencubator has been successfully implementing the programme in Ukraine since its launch in 2017.
From Releaf Paper, which produces paper and packaging from fallen leaves, to The Good Plastic Company, which transforms plastic waste into elegant interior elements and paves the way for a circular economy, Ukrainian climate innovators have a lot to offer. These incredibly resilient and creative firms, dedicated to sustainability, are making the future better and greener for everyone.
