Essay of the Winner of the Contest, Valentyna Levchenko
Ukraine’s energy security is a concept familiar to every Ukrainian. But today, I will talk specifically about myself. For me, as an energy consumer, energy security starts with the confidence that I have stable access to energy and fuel, no matter what the conditions are in my country.
Right now, my country is facing an energetically powerful enemy. An enemy that attacks the energy system and seeks to weaken its integrity. Therefore, the issue of energy security is now more relevant than ever since the moment of independence. All the challenges that Ukraine faced became an impetus for reforming and improving the energy sector. Since our independence, Russia has been waging a hybrid war to weaken Ukraine. For these reasons, Ukraine continues to integrate national power grids into European networks of electricity and gas transmission system operators.
Every day, the state takes specific practical steps to strengthen Ukraine’s energy security so that you and I can receive the energy services we need. And so we have to ask ourselves, what exactly can I do to improve the energy security of my country? That’s what I set for myself. At my level, I will not be able to stop the war or develop a law that will solve all energy problems. But if you want to change the world, start with yourself. This statement prompted the implementation of actions that can help reduce the load on our energy system. And no matter how banal it sounds, start using energy more efficiently.
I started with small steps: I tried to turn off lights and electrical appliances when I’m not using them, I use natural light more often during the day by opening blinds and curtains, and I became interested in using alternative energy sources and more often travel by bicycle. These simple steps and the realization that I can at least slightly reduce the load on our energy system give me faith that each of us can contribute to strengthening our country’s energy security. Finally, big things start with small steps.