Since the start of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian hospitals have faced severe threats from power outages caused by bombings and drone attacks targeting the country’s infrastructure. Operating room lights go dark, and life-support equipment in intensive care units stops working. Solar panels—reliable energy sources installed directly on hospital rooftops—offer a solution to this critical situation.
About the project:
Sun for Ukraine
Currently, approximately 80 % of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been damaged. Cities struggle with power outages, with some receiving electricity for only two hours a day. Hospitals, which rely on uninterrupted power to operate, are the most vulnerable.
That’s why we are raising funds to install solar power systems. The average cost of a single system is around €25,000.
Power outages caused by Russian aggression pose the greatest danger to the most vulnerable: the wounded, the sick, the elderly, and newborns. Grid electricity is unreliable due to ongoing attacks, and backup generators depend on scarce diesel fuel.
Solar panels and other renewable energy sources provide a sustainable solution to ensure hospitals have the power needed to keep lights on and equipment running. With minimal operating costs and independence from fossil fuels, solar energy is the best available option, enabling Ukrainian healthcare professionals to save lives even during further attacks and outages.
Would you like to learn more about the Sun for Ukraine campaign? Interested in making a larger donation or contributing materials? Contact Alžběta Kofránková for more details. You can support the cause by donating to our transparent account: 2600013234/2010.
NESEHNUTÍ organizes the Sun for Ukraine fundraiser in cooperation with the Ukrainian Ecoclub. The organization is raising funds for the purchase and installation of solar panels for Ukrainian hospitals. Thanks to the project, the light has first returned to the facility in the town of Zviahel. But gradually, solar energy is lighting up other Ukrainian hospitals.
In which cities have you supported the construction of solar power plants:
Sumy, Zviahel, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Kolomyia, Zaporizhzhia, and seven other cities
Solar energy for war veterans hospital in Lviv
Thanks to your support, the hospital for war veterans in Lviv no longer has to worry about power outages caused by Russian attacks. Because soon it will have its solar power plant.
You contributed a total of 612 OOO CZK, which will enable new solar panels to be built on the roof of the medical facility to ensure the stable operation of essential medical equipment.
You can follow what is happening at the hospital for war veterans and what stories are unfolding there at UNBROKEN Ukraine.
Czech solar power plant powers hospital in Zhytomyr
Clean solar energy, which will not be disrupted by power cuts, has been available to the municipal hospital in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, since July 2023. Thanks to Sun for Ukraine, a solar power plant donated by the Czech company SOLSOL generates electricity on the hospital roof.
Zhytomyr was the first Ukrainian city to decide, before the Russian invasion began, to completely divest itself of fossil energy sources by 2050.
„SOLSOL has been supporting Ukraine and its people in various forms since the beginning of the invasion – we have been involved in both financial and material collections. The next logical step is to support endangered infrastructure and communities that have decided to make the transition toward sustainability. We were immediately attracted to the idea of Sunshine for Ukraine because it was a perfect match between our capabilities and local needs. We coordinated the installation itself over a distance of 1,000 kilometers online. It was a non-standard procedure, but it worked. The power plant is now operational, and we can monitor its operation in real-time directly in Brno,“ comments Michal Hrabí, SOLSOL’s Chief Operating Officer, on the decision to make a large material donation. The solar power plant has a capacity of 48 kW and will cover up to 26% of the hospital’s annual consumption.
„The solar power plant in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, represents a key support for the most vulnerable, for the wounded and sick who depend on the care of doctors and physicians. In addition, photovoltaic power is a reliable source during supply disruptions, which can reappear at any time as a result of Russian aggression. However, it is also an example of modern and sustainable solutions that illustrate what post-war reconstruction in Ukraine should look like. Moreover, renewable resources reduce dependence on undemocratic regimes like the Russian one,“ says Martin Hyt’ha of NESEHNUTÍ.
Installation of a solar power plant at the Central Hospital in Sumy
Thanks to your help, light has returned to the hospital in the city of Sumy, where over a quarter of a million people live. Doctors in Sumy performed over 7,000 operations in 2022, including 4,000 emergency operations. The solar panels there produce enough energy to keep all three operating theatres running.
The installation started in May 2023. The funds for its installation (27,500 EUR) were raised by NESEHNUTÍ together with other organizations from Poland, the USA, and Germany. Thus, the sick and wounded will continue to receive medical care regardless of possible attacks by the Russian army.
Sumy is located near the border with Russia, so the likelihood of airstrikes remains high. Frequent attacks on energy infrastructure in the fall of 2022 have caused the unstable operation of medical facilities. Although hospitals purchased generators, their capacity was not sufficient to provide electricity for all medical buildings.
„It is extremely important for us to ensure uninterrupted medical treatment in the event of a prolonged power outage. The installed solar power plant will help to ensure the functioning of the operating and intensive care units,“ says Valentina Dominas, director of the Central City Hospital in Sumy.
„A minute without electricity can be life-threatening. The installation of the solar power plant will solve the issue of uninterrupted operation of the medical equipment of the inpatient ward. The most important thing is the life and health of the patients,“ says Marina Dranchenko from the Sumy City Council.
The operation of the solar power plant will allow the medical facility to save money on energy bills every year. According to preliminary calculations, the planned energy savings will amount to 457.5 thousand hryvnias per year. Sumy City Hall officials say that the saved funds will be used to implement energy-saving measures in other medical facilities. „The hospital consumes 293.0 thousand kWh of electricity annually. Approximately 318 tonnes of carbon dioxide are generated in its production. The installation of the solar power plant will reduce emissions by 75 tons,“ Maryna Dranichenko said.
